Surreal Reality: Mine to Possess
by kohakushina
Summary: A Seer glimpses the future and yet the future lies beyond destiny or by a man's choice. Join young Tom, as he uncovers his own deadly fate by a mere chance. He had defied fate not knowing the severe consequences he must face.
1. Prologue Dreams

**Title: Surreal Reality: Mine to Posses**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter only Madam Rowling does. So sad.**

**Alternative Plot and Beta'd by Anniriel**

**Main Pairings: Tom (Voldemort)/Harry and James/Lily**

**Summary: Seer glimpses the future and yet the future lies beyond destiny or by a man's choice. Join young Tom, as he uncovers his own deadly fate by a mere chance. He had defied fate not knowing the severe consequences he must face.**

**Date Edited: 12-August-2011**

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><p><em>"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream.<em>

_When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality."_

_Dom Helder Camara_

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><p><strong>Prologue: Dreams<strong>

Do you believe in dreams?

Dreams are the most meaningless and yet highly complex images that you witness. As if you are in a parallel universe in someone else's mind and body. You are an involuntary audience of their own world. It is also a diverted reality; one that you wish to control and yet you are someone else's prisoner.

Most of the visuals that are reflected are the memories of a person. Way or another, you feel that the dream is really giving codes that you need— no — you must crack. These codes provide you with information in order to know and to understand the person's entity.

When you're about to discover the facts, you find yourself being physically pulled out as if you're falling from a cliff, diving from the deep ocean with an intense pressure, jumping off to the sky. The waking world's gravity stops you from dreaming, as soon as you wake up, there are uncontrollable reactions. You feel neither happiness nor satisfaction; your only emotions are anger, fear, and anxiety.

The dream is non-existent as you continue your daily life. Nonetheless, a particular dream is somewhat reappearing within your own waking world. You can't help but feeling that you have been there for a long time, like a reincarnation of your own dreamscape. Stepping out from your waking 'dream', there are several emotions consciously alarming and disturbing you.

These dreams can also be traitors. A deceiving dream, a nightmare, is something you are willing to avoid at all cost. It builds-up your fears by feeding your mind with several disturbing images. You are being tricked by your nightmare, you start feeling that said nightmare is a reality in your own 'waking' world. Yet, you are also being harassed into waking yourself up at night. You wish you could avoid encountering them on your 'waking' world; and you really need to be assured that nothing inside that nightmare is real. Now, you are making your own plans to avoid every unwanted negative feeling that, you know, you will encounter in the next nightmare.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Thank you for all your reviews and fave and story alerts.


	2. Chapter 1: Reality Bites

**Title: Surreal Reality: Mine to Possess**

**Disclaimer: I will never own Harry Potter.**

**Alternative Plot and Beta Read by Anniriel**

**Main Pairings: Tom (Voldemort)/Harry and James/Lily**

**Summary: a Seer glimpses the future and yet the future lies beyond destiny or by a man's choice. Join young Tom, as he uncovers his own deadly fate by a mere chance. He had defied fate not knowing the severe consequences he must face.**

**Chapter Rating: T**

**Warning: A concise climax of the seven books.**

**Date Edited: 12-August-2011**

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><p><em>"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."<em>

_Albert Einstein_

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Reality Bites<strong>

Tom was inside a wooden cage with several rotating objects above him. Wandering how he lied down here. He turned his head as he saw several green rays over a gingerly wavy haired woman. As the woman collapsed near the wooden cage, his eyes locked intensity into a merciless red-eyed man. The red-eyed man pointed a stick and gleefully whispered: "AVADA KADAVRA."

All he remembered was the green light flashing over his eyes and then, everything stopped.

"…GET UP! NOW!"

Tom heard the shrieking of a woman as he stumbled on the bed. His eyes were wide open but he instantly knew he was not in the orphanage at all. No table, no chair, and no wall wardrobe around but only a small bed and a cabinet inside a small compartment. He involuntary sat and picked up something. His hand had gotten grip of a small rectangular shape, with an adjustable thin solid object-a pair of eyeglasses. Why did he need to wear them? His eyes were in perfect condition and… why were his arm wrists even thinner and his shirt was even baggier? He concluded that he was in someone else's body and he couldn't control it, at all. Just his luck!

Tom went out of the room just to see he was sleeping inside a cupboard. He thought that staying at the sleeping quarters of the orphanages was bad but this cupboard room was even more horrible. He did not bother anyway, as soon as he woke up everything would be back to normal.

Unconsciously, Tom was moving to the kitchen. He approached a thin woman whose pointy nose snorted at the sight of him. The thin woman glared at him as she pointed the cooking utensils and ingredients to cook. He was wandering why he needed to do these tasks, same as with the duties inside of the orphanage. He was only being controlled and used; Tom started to cook the bacon and the eggs. But he saw a shadow shaded over the kitchen counter as he looked up at a fat pegged-nose man crossed arms as he irritably tapped his right foot.

"Boy! Hurry up with your cooking!" the man barked.

Tom wanted to snap the fat man out of annoyance but his body was betraying him. As he still continued to cook as if it was a nothing but a greeting. He served the dishes and sat together with the thin woman, the fat man, and another mini fat guy.

"Mum, why do we let him join the trip!" The mini fat guy glared at him as he forked the bacon and shoved to his mouth. Very intimidating act as Tom thought to himself and yet he again did not intend to react.

"Dinky Duddydums, nobody's going to watch him here. Your Aunt Marge is not here as well as the other we know and we don't want him all alone staying in the house. Something strange might happen." The thin woman who was the mother of Dinky-Dumb terribly replied.

And so, he joined the ill-mannered family's trip, which was the zoo. He knew it was his first time there as the boy followed them and walked the reptile section. Donkey Sr. and Jr. wanted to terrorize the sleeping python but to their disappointment, it did not budge at all.

Tom unconsciously pitied the snake. He talked to the snake for comfort and he noticed that the snake was looking at him. As he touched the glass cage, the glass vanished and the snake slithered around him with 'Thanks' and everything went blank again.

"Buzzzz… Buzzzz"

Tom heard an annoying buzzer buzzing over his head. Opening his eyes, he momentary stared at an opened door in front of him. By the door there was a tall, forget it, a gigantic man with curly long hair and a beard that touched his chest, standing up with a heartfelt smile fixed on his face; some of his teeth were crooked while others were covered by a bushy mustache. His staring was interrupted when the giant greeted him: "'Ullo 'Arry".

So, his name was 'Arry' according to the giant. The giant passed a parchment letter to him. Unfolding and scanning the parchment, he felt an intense excitement that he never experienced before.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Dear Mr. Potter, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Attached is the list of all required books and equipment. Please be informed that the term will begin on September 1. We await your owl by July 31._

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress_

So there it was. Tom was shocked; even further, thrilled that he, 'Arry' Potter was a wizard after all. If he was indeed Potter, then he would have all the power he wanted, he could control anyone, especially those Duddy-baboons and no one would stop him. He was excited, he wanted to have more of these bizarre dreams that he was having.

"Jiggling"

Tom heard a bell and he quickly opened his eyes. He was inside a shop full of boxes neatly arranged from five identical shelves when someone greeted him: "Good afternoon, Harry Potter"

Tom jumped at that someone-an old man, who was wearing thick spectacles, sat at the stool. The old man started to talk to himself as he recalled about Harry's parents' wand and how they favored them.

Tom realized that his parents were dead but he did not know why he was living with such ungrateful people. If his parents were alive, he would not experience such maltreatment and abuse. He wanted to know the name of that ignorant man who just left him at the doorstep of those loath people, just to give him a taste of an obnoxious living.

Tom's train of thought was interrupted when he involuntarily flicked the wooden stick that the old man has given to him. It felt like electric shock was passing though his body and he immediately surrendered the stick to the old man. The old man raised one of his eyebrows and started murmuring: "Very tricky customer, I have only encountered a few like you. Most of the ones I have provided wands for surely made an instant bond with the user. But you, on the other hand, are different."

The old man's eyes widened as he stretched his arm and used his index finger to touch Tom's forehead. Tom felt a little pain at the touch. The old man walked toward the far end of the shop and reached the top shelf for a box. After some minutes, the old man came with a dusty box.

The man seemed to be excited, yet terrified as he blew and opened the box. Tom saw that familiar a red feather core from someone else—the red eyed man. The man gave the wand to him and as he flicked it, he couldn't suppress the harmonious and yet spine-chilling emotion he felt.

"Curious indeed, since that wand of yours has a brother owned by You-Know-Who. A wizard who did great and horrible things in the world; he was in fact, the one who gave you that scar." The old man said while pointing at his forehead and he defensively rubbed it, so that the man couldn't touch it, again. Tom wondered what that was. How did the scar appear on his forehead? However, he had never so much encountered himself looking at a mirror. He couldn't help but wonder what was the significance of said scar to 'You-Know-Who'.

Tom was so lost in his own mind that he did not notice how much time had passed. He was now looking straight at his —the boy's—reflection. An image of an unfamiliar boy with a pale, skinny and oval-shaped face who had a pair of eyeglasses ridging over his small, concave nose. Tom glanced at his reflected forehead and noticed that the scar looked like a lightning bolt. Then, his sight was forcefully diverted towards the eyes, which were not his own blue ones; instead, he found a mesmerizing and chilling pair of green eyes, the same shade of green as the rays he saw before in the cradle he had mistook by a wooden cage. So intense and very alluring.

But wait, was Tom smiling wickedly at him. Did he see him? No. this reflection of him was taking out a small, blood red stone out of his pocket and showing it to him; then, the reflection returned it to his own pocket and the weirdest thing happened right there and then, he now had something in his pocket —what was that stone?

"Harry Potter, give me the stone!" A sinister and demanding echoed the small room.

Tom backed out and looked over at the man who was wearing a turban. But this time, he felt suddenly shocked, scared, and betrayed. The man turned his back on him and started to remove the piece of clothing off his head; there, where the man's hair should be, was another face! A two-faced, distorted old man, it was a horrible sight, with a pair of crimson eyes and yellowish teeth laughing at him.

"Get the boy!" the old man faced commanded and the younger one obeyed, he went to grab the boy. Tom was running as fast as he could but the man succeeded and grabbed him. He slapped the man's hand and something even weirder happened, the hand burst into flames.

"My hand!" The man screamed hysterically.

Tom then tried to escape again but the man pushed him down and started to choke him. Tom, not knowing what else to do—he didn't want to die!—quickly tried to push the man's face with his hands; again, the man screamed in agony. Tom saw the melting face of the man for a split second before losing consciousness.

Tom felt terribly weak and shivered; he felt as if he was in a cold and soggy place. He opened his eyes, hoping against hope that the two-faced man wasn't there anymore. Strangely, he was inside of a cave with several pipelines. He looked around only to find some kind of sharp object near him.

Then, he saw a blue-eyed teenage staring at him. The young man lifted up a familiar wand as he forcefully wrote down some letters in flames. Oddly enough, the young man's name was the same as his birth name: Tom Marvolo Riddle.

The imposter then swished the wand and all letters instantly arranged themselves to reveal a new name: I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.

Tom suddenly felt fear; the imposter was approaching him as a predator would a prey. What do I do? He asked to himself, he did not have any wand with him. He heard a cry and moments later, a bird was flying towards him. The bird shielded him and tossed a black diary at his feet.

Tom saw the angry reaction of the young man. The imposter raised the wand. Hastily, he took the sharp object and forcefully stabbed the black dairy. Black ink, like dried blood, splattered on his eyeglasses. He glared at the young man who was wailing in pain. After that event, Tom collapsed on the floor.

"I am to blame, for your parents' death because I insisted on them having another Secret keeper, who turned out to be Peter." Tom heard the deep, regretful sound of a man's voice. The man was talking to him as he opened his eyes to see who he was. He saw a scrawny black haired man and his greycolored eyes that were full of sadness and regret. His dirty white clothes were torn and he had some kind of wounds on his shoulders. Tom looked at his surroundings. He was inside of a room, not the cupboard room where he slept, but a tiny room with four chairs and a table. Tom was not alone. There were three adults and two children. One adult was apparently knocked out on the floor.

"Sirius, that's enough. Ron, give that rat to me, now." Another brown haired man glared at the red haired boy named Ron. Ron momentary glared back at the man, but after a moment he gave the rat to the brown haired man. The rat squeaked and looked as if it was trying to escape as the man took it from Ron. The two men raised their wands and shot a blue light that hit the rat.

Immediately, the rat started to turn into a pudgy little blond haired man. Said man was looking around the area for an exit but stopped when the brown haired guy cornered the exit door and mockingly said: "Well, hello Peter, long time, no see."

"Re-Remus, SSs..Sirius…" Peter fearfully replied to them.

"What happened to James and Lily?" Remus ignored the greeting as he fiercely asked.

"You-Know-Who tried to kill me as I saw him kill James and Lily." He agitatedly replied.

"Voldemort, Peter. Are you scared to call your master by his name? You sold them to him a year ago!" Sirius barked at Peter, who flinched.

Peter stood and approached Ron. The short man was trying to convince the red haired boy that he was a good pet but Ron felt disgusted, the man deceived him; he let the man—no, rat—sleep on his bed. Peter looked at the bushy brown haired girl and held her robes: "Hermione, you are a clever girl, you'll believe me."

Hermione dragged her robes off the man's hold and took a few steps away from him. And finally, Peter looked at Tom and ran towards him. The man was telling Tom that he looked like his father, James. Tom demanded him to let go of his robes.

Tom stared hatefully at the man's dull and emotionless pools that are the unblinking, gray eyes. His own eyes went bulge when he noticed he was lying next to a dead boy. Tom felt numb. Peter forcefully dragged him towards a tombstone with the name 'TOM RIDDLE' written on it.

Tom could only feel horror-struck when he saw his name was written on the tombstone. The slimy lying animagus rat, who claimed being innocent, took of a muddy bone from the said tomb. Peter raised his wand and spoke about the bone was from a father for renewing life of the son as he dropped it from the pot. He then, pulled a dagger, cut his right hand, threw it into a big pot and said something about flesh from a willing servant to revive his master. After that, the traitor walked towards him with holding the silver dagger with his left hand and made a cut in Tom's arm. Tom did not feel any pain; Peter went again to the pot and threw the drops of blood, claiming that they were taken from an unwilling enemy to resurrect his foe.

The pot began to boil vigorously, its bubbles continuing to increase, and then it released over a blinding silver light all over the place. From inside of the pot, Tom saw a shadow of tall man, and when the smoke dissipated from the pot, he was sure that his body was visibly shaking. He saw the most hideous thing ever, a walking skeleton of a man and Peter rushed to cover him in some kind of robes.

"Harry Potter, nice to see you, you're sitting beside my filthy father's grave. I vowed to myself to hunt him down. Because of him, my ill-mother died and left me in a Muggle's orphanage." The robed man stopped talking and he eyed at Tom.

"Alas Harry, meet my true family!" Hooded people began to emerge behind the tombstones and trees. They moved closely, kneeled down to the skinny ugly man, kissed his robes and called him master.

Suddenly the master pointed the wand at Tom and said "Crucio!" Tom screamed. He felt that he was suffocating, his head was likely splitting in half and his insides were burning while he was still alive. He wanted to escape from this brutal torture. He wanted to… And; as soon as it came, the pain stopped, only to leave the roaring sound of laughing hyenas in his ears.

"So, this is it? I think it is not fair enough to let you die here without giving you a chance. Let's duel!" Tom found himself being untied and the rat gave him his wand. The snake faced master and Tom, who as forced to, gave each a slight bow, and the death match has begun.

The man raised his wand and said "Avada Kadavra" as Tom automatically counter-attacked with an Expelliarmus. At that moment, something weird happened; there was a showdown of connected golden thread–like rays. Tom heard a familiar cry of a bird as he concentrated all his power and will into his wand just to stop that man.

When his wand burst such bright golden light, he heard someone telling him to break the connection, get the other boy's body and hold on the portkey back to Hogwarts. Without any second thought, he obediently followed the orders. He quickly took the other boy's dead body and unknowingly, he grabbed the golden cup.

Tom landed by his knees to metallic flooring and his head was burning from pain. He stood up and instantly noticed that was holding neither the dead body nor the cup, but something small and round? He looked down and saw a black orb glowing within his dirty hands.

"GET POTTER, GET THE PROPHECY!" Tom looked at the source, a wicked female yelling to the same hooded robed men from a minute ago. He wandered why they were here. He ran up of the circular stairs to escape these insane hooded men. Other boy was also behind just a few stairs from him as he pointed the wand over the hooded men.

"UN ARY TO D OP!" Tom deciphered the sentence to mean that he should continue to reach top of the stairs. That was when he heard a familiar word "Crucio" and looked back. The boy was screaming in agony as he was hit by the spell of the crazy, bushy black-haired woman. Tom stopped moving.

"Now Harry, give me that orb or your friend will die!" The woman challenged Tom for a trick of trade. He could not think anymore, as he clutched the orb with his hands when the door from above broke open. He saw Sirius, Remus and three unidentified people. They battled the remaining hooded men as they threw different spells.

Sirius managed to approach and tell him to take the orb and the other boy to safety. The man rushed towards the crazy woman. Tom gazed as the man was hit and fell over the stairs through the veil and faded from Tom's sight.

"NOO!"

Everything turned a flashy white, as blur images came to Tom's mind and he heard the demanding voice of a male.

"I wanted to know the truth but you neglected me? Why?" Tom heard something exploding with a resounding bang.

"None of this was supposed to happen! Why did you let Sirius die?" A high tone of voice continued to echo on his ears as if he was eavesdropping over the door

"Please… please, Professor Albus, stop making me look like a fool. I'm not a child ANYMORE!" He heard someone cry out, and then he could only hear as if someone was sobbing into his ears.

The voice stopped and, only to be replaced by another one, a mythical and mysterious one that said: "_Two equals must face each other, but only one who redeemed worthy shall survive."_

The voice died down and Tom could not see a thing, it was as if he was in a black room. As time passed, the light turned into darkness. He wondered what happened to Harry. Had Harry gotten his revenge from the black haired hag? Tom wanted to know if Harry was still alive and…. A flash of light appeared from inside of him. He was scared and could only see as the light devoured his whole body.

"Tom, why do you want to know the horcruxes?" A middle-aged man looked at the adolescent Tom, the same boy that Harry fought inside of the cave before—a charming, well-mannered youth who was wearing a robe and a shiny green badge pinned into his right chest. The youth's blue eyes are even more vicious and dominant.

Why was he seeing this man? He wanted to see his Harry more than he did anyone else. And again, images began to blur his sight.

To his delight, he opened his eyes and he was in a dining hall. Unconsciously, he drank a small amount of watery substance from the bottle. Soon after, he just followed his guts, stood up and walked to the corridor; he then finally met a stunned Slughorn. He told the professor that he was meeting Hagrid on his hut. The professor hesitated; he couldn't allow him to go out alone, so the professor insisted on letting him come along.

Both of them went out of the castle as nightfall welcomed the sky. A familiar giant figure was weeping over an enormous terrifying dead spider: "Ary, Aragog is… dead. I have to bury… his remains… my… sobs…first pet."

Tom looked at the professor, as the man was amazed with the beast. The man asked the giant if he could take a few drops of venom from the creature. The giant was obviously doubtful of the professor's intentions but he still let the let him take venom from it. After the extraction of the venom, Tom thoughtlessly invited the professor for a drink or two inside Hagrid's hut—just to keep the giant company.

The two adults drank large amounts of wine, while Tom himself gave a sip of wine per topic. Hagrid was already asleep, leaning his head on the table due to the over dose of the wine. Tom and Slughorn continued on talking until they started to talk about Harry's mother.

"Ok, Ha-hic-Harry, I gib op-hic! 'ere-hic!" Slughorn raised his wand and pointed on his temple. A ghostly gas started to get out of his head and he captured into a small bottle. Tom's eyes sparkled as the soon-to-be-slumbering-man gave the small bottle to Tom. He gladly grabbed it and ran out of the hut towards the castle to meet the old man named Albus.

Albus, together with Tom dropped the contents of the vial over a stone basin and both of them immersed inside the substance. There, Tom saw the imposter Tom again. The imposer was asking about the Horcrux to Slughorn. The professor confidently replied, "A Horcrux is a dark form of magic used to transfer a piece of soul into an object with the purpose of protecting one's soul, but to obtain such magic, one must commit an act of supreme evil, such as murder."

"So, isn't it better to divide the soul into seven Horcruxes and hide them?" The imposter Tom wickedly laughed as he rhetorically questioned Slughorn. The professor's eyes widened and he softly whispered to the air, "You're considering this mad theory?" The imposter Tom did reply him with his smirk still intact: "I'm only asking a hypothetical question professor. As you said, it IS only a theory, NOT a fact."

The images vanished from Tom's sight. Tom put all the puzzle pieces together and finally understood the mystery behind the tampered images. Tom, the imposter, was going to commit murder in order to split soul. But for what purpose—immortality?

"AVADA KADAVRA"

Tom heard the same words but with an unfamiliar voice. His emotions turned to panic, anger, hatred, and despair as saw the greasy black haired man hit a defenseless and weak old man, Albus. The spell pushed the Headmaster onto an opening in the tower's walls; time moved slowly and the dead body of Albus Dumbledore fell on the castle grounds. Tom felt frustrated as he screamed out of hatred, running towards the greasy man.

Tom promised himself to avenge Albus' death on the man's grave. Then he could do nothing but watch, open-mouthed as the headmaster's tomb transformed into that of another person with an unfamiliar name: Ignotus Peverell.

Oddly, there was a symbol just below the name, like some kind of slit eye—a triangular shaped symbol and within it, another shape which was a circle and a vertical line that linked the two shapes together—A strange light appeared on his line of vision and he saw a silver doe jumping over the trees. Tom cautiously raised unfamiliar wand. He followed it over an iced water pond and it disappeared.

Tom's wand lit the iced water pond. He saw a blur yet familiar silver cross, impaled inside—Godric's sword! Tom cracked the ice and dived to the cold water to get the sword but his, Harry's, body was freezing. He just wanted to reach the surface. Tom felt something close around his neck, and then he was struggling to free himself from the thing suffocating him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that a golden locket with an engraved serpent forming an 'S' was the thing that was trying to choke him.

Was his Harry going to die? His eyes were also freezing from the cold water. No help would come for him.

"Crack"

"Are you bloody mental, you didn't even remove this—cursed Horcrux!"

Ron, who was holding the locket and the sword, had come back to save him. He offered the sword to Harry. Exhausted yet relieved, Tom had declined the offer and told him to be ready. Tom took the locket from Ron. Tom whispered "_open_" to the locket. Ron hoisted the sword and angrily stabbed the locket as soon as Harry told him to.

Three out of six Horcruxes were already destroyed. They needed to look over for the other three, but no, Harry's friends told him to find Lovegood or whoever he was, just to know about a fairy tale book. Physically out-numbered, Tom, together with Harry's friends headed to Mr. Lovegood's home.

It was a deranged rook-like house, with several foolish tasks just to enter the house. Mr. Lovegood was a tall man with white long hair and his face could be describe as nothing but bemused. Deaf with silence, Hermione greeted the man and asked him about the necklace that he was wearing.

"This, you mean? It is said that the person who reunites the three objects will be the master of death" Mr. Lovegood with his skillful quill had drawn the symbol to them.

Tom thought of the Deathly Hallows. If the fairy tale was real, then no one will defeat the person who owns the three of them. His Harry also thought that this was a battle between the Horcruxes and the Legendary Hallows—the cheater of life versus the challenger of death.

Tom gripped a silver sword, Godric's Sword. He looked up and saw a goblet with a badger design on the top shelf. Tom used the tip of sword to hook the cup. When the cup was about to fall on the ground, Tom grabbed from its handle; the moment he touched the cup, he felt a painful burning sensation. Later, as he heard Voldemort screaming about the missing cup, he saw Voldemort's thoughts about the tiara inside of Hogwarts.

Tom woke up and he was with Harry's friends inside the hidden room, or as they called it—the Room of Requirements. Strangely, when Tom stepped foot on said room, his Harry's scar started beating rapidly and painfully.

Tom saw Ron and Hermione enter the room, again and they were muddy. Tom approached to them as Ron just threw many of the snake's fangs. Ron was smirking at him as Hermione revealed the distorted goblet and another fang of the snake on her hands. Ron explained that he had copied the hissing sound from him and that Hermione had stabbed the cup using the snake's fang.

Tom was utterly astonished with his Harry's friends. They were really, not only very brave but they had also premeditated the plan without being a hindrance to Harry's search of the diadem, they couldn't be compared to the mindless and no-self working Death Eaters. These people were the key of success! No wonder Harry had chosen them.

Still thinking, Tom did not notice that he was flying on a broomstick. As he glazed below, he noticed the place was now full of chaos. There were flames everywhere, consuming everything. The weirdest thing though, was that the flames had form, they were creatures appearing on the ground.

He could feel a mix of worry and relief from his Harry as Tom saw a platinum haired boy with another unconscious one, and Tom dived towards them. The platinum haired boy told his Harry to go to exit when his eyes saw a discolored tiara from one of the heads of the fire-type creatures.

Tom ignored the nagging and screaming boy as he lunged towards the creatures. Using his wrist, he snatched the crown from the fire creature. The platinum blond boy was gripping to him for dear life as Tom reached the exit and landed hard on the floor.

Tom saw Ron and Hermione swiftly run towards them and also the other boy, who was lying on the ground. Tom pulled out the blackened-hot tiara, which clung over his reddish wrist. Tom then noticed that the tiara's tip was melting as a black substance was dripping out of it. The fifth Horcrux had finally been destroyed.

They heard screams over the hallway. The Great Hall, where they had dined for six years, was already in a chaos. Both, teachers and students were fighting for their lives, to win the war. Either friend or foe, there were several bodies lying over the floor, on the tables, and by the crumbled walls.

Tom closed his eyes and, all of a sudden, he was furiously grasping a different wand. Is this what Voldemort always wanted, to use them as mere puppets? Killing their kind just to attain supreme power? This was madness.

"Kill"

Tom heard the word and a terrible scream, when he gazed up he realized that he was not inside the Great Hall anymore but inside the same room where the rat, Peter was revealed as a traitor, he was in the Shrieking shack. He saw the greasy man lying on the floor, barely breathing as the snake crawled away. Tom rushed towards Snape as soon as the coast is clear; he was dying due to the snake's poison. The conjured a flask out of nowhere and poured a long string of memories. The man requested him to look at him and Tom glanced at his now dull, black eyes: Snape had died.

Tom gained his balance after entering Snape memories; he looked around the place and realized that it was a deserted playground. He then heard children laughing and his eyes turned towards them.

He saw two children—a gingerly haired girl and a black haired boy, sitting under a tree. The boy explained to her that she was a witch. Later, noise came from the bushes; the nosy person revealed herself and humiliated the boy.

Angry, the boy lost control and did accidental magic, which caused a branch of the tree to drop on top of the nosy person's head. The gingerly haired girl had a hurt look in her eyes as she ran towards her sister, 'Tuney' and left the boy confused and depressed.

The scene swirled and Tom heard a familiar shrilling voice: "You're a freak, Lily and also that boy-Snape!" Tuney angrily stated as she left her sister at the train platform. Lily was hurt, her own sister hated her.

Then, the scene changed and now he was inside a compartment, with two long benches facing each other and a big window in the center of the wall, showing the landscape. Tom heard the word: "Slytherin" and looked at the source of the sound. It was Snape, together with Lily. Tom heard the door opened and two boys entered the cart, they decided to entertain themselves by making up pennames for Snape and Lily defended her friend. She took Snape's right hand and left the ill-mannered boys alone in the compartment as the scene washed-out.

Fate was not friendly; the sorting hat separated Lily and Snape. Years later, all friendship ties were cut, each of them chose loyalties and other friends. Tom saw a scene where Snape was apologizing at Lily for calling her a Mudblood. The scene changed again and Tom was inside a house and he heard a crack sound near the door, he peeked over the opening.

"You disgrace me. You only wanted to gain for yourself, asking Voldemort to spare only the woman you loved." Albus was there and his piercing eyes looked at Snape. The death of his Harry's parents were inevitable, Tom knew this for the first time he had gotten into this 'dream'.

The place was starting to twist, when it stopped, it formed into a room with many portraits, which were facing the table. There was an ill-looking man sitting on the chair.

"Why did you put on that ring?" Snape demanded an answer from Albus.

"Actually, Severus, this ring bears much responsibility and you know I don't have much time left. I'm asking you kill me when it is time." Silence was all that could be heard in the office as soon as Albus finished his statement. Snape did not know how to respond and he nodded at the old man's request.

"Harry must die too. Lily sacrificed her own life to save Harry that night and one piece of Voldemort's mutilated soul attached itself to that of Harry's. Please, bear in mind that it is Voldemort who must do it" Albus had betrayed him; the man did not care for Harry, Albus only wanted prophesy to maintain its course—this fate was the only path in his life, nothing more.

Tom was angry with the man, Albus, and all the influence he had in Harry's life. This man demanded his favors the same way the insane Voldemort did. Both sides have the worst leaders and his Harry was trapped in between, being a puppet without strings. Tom found himself trembling with fear; his Harry would die by the hand of the insane Voldemort.

The moment of truth.

"I'm about to die…" His Harry whispered at something like a golden ball. Tom saw that a flash of green light coming towards him and everything was done.

"Wah!"

Tom woke from the baby's wail. He was in a strange, smoky white place. He looked over the source of the noise and he saw a ragged baby crying; when his Harry was about to move toward the baby, Albus stopped him: "You cannot help him."

His Harry demanded him an answer. The old man simply replied, "You're the seventh Horcrux, the last Horcrux he did not intended to make. A broken soul cannot be saved; Voldemort is nothing but a soulless human form now."

Even in death, Albus was still manipulating Harry. His Harry also shared Tom's anger, he only talked after taking the baby in his arms: "You're wrong, Albus; even though Voldemort is as soulless as you claimed, he might have a chance to redeem himself."

"There's nothing you can do."

Several roaring cries and stampede noises were coming from the ground, as Tom regained consciousness, as he covered himself. He saw a boy holding a familiar silver sword, cutting Nagini's head off; the head rolled over to Voldemort's feet. Tom saw several feet were stomping over and everything went black.

Tom saw a flash of golden light over his eyes and a wand flying to him; quickly, he jumped as high as he could to retrieve it and his feet landed on the ground. He glanced around him, he was in the Great Hall. He saw his-insane-self falling over, his head was the first to hit the floor. Voldemort had died.

In slow motion, Tom did see many cheer for him yet he could not hear a sound anymore. He could not feel any warm feeling of being pulled, hugged, and lifted up as his eyes dropped into darkness.

"Argh!" Tom woke up, sweating, and he automatically grabbed a white dirty sheet. He looked around the dark room; he was sitting on his bed. To his right side, he glanced over his wardrobe wall. He knew he was back in the orphanage. He was having a nightmare all along. However, something told him that everything he saw and felt was real.

His Harry, a mere innocence child, the boy-who-lived, the chosen one, had defeated the deranged soulless version of himself. If everything in this nightmare had been the truth, then he had to stop this Albus guy manipulating games, once and for all. He had to do something, fast.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Edited the symbol of the Deathly Hallows- Thanks Nagua


	3. Chapter 2: Illusory Hope

**Title: Surreal Reality: Mine to Possess**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything here. *Point Me* to Madam J.K. Rowling.**

**Alternative Plot by Anniriel**

**Beta Read by: Fae (gomenasai-for-everything)**

****Main Pairing: Tom/Harry and James/Lily****

**Summary: Seer glimpses the future and yet the future lies beyond destiny or by man's choice. Join young Tom, as he uncovers his own deadly fate by a mere chance. He had defied fate not knowing the severe consequences he must face.**

**Chapter Rating: M (For brutal images)**

**Notes:**

"Speaking"  
><span>Title of a book<span>  
><em>Writings in a book<em>  
>~Parseltougue~<p>

**Date Edited: 12-August-2011**

* * *

><p><em>"Everything's fine today that is our illusion."<em>

_Voltaire_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Illusory Hope<strong>

Tom, an eight year old boy, remembered everything that he had dreamed, as he once resided in the mind and emotions of a mere innocent child named Harry. Harry was a scrawny little boy who did not wish for fame at all, but alas, the cruelty of fate had begun to step into his life by giving him an inevitable task that no man would have ever imagined—to defeat the deranged, soulless version of Tom. Was fate the only way to prove that THIS was the ONLY way the future could be? Albus was REALLY stupid to rely on only fate's decisions.

"I ought to defy the prophesy itself. There should be another way for the events of the future to take place, and I must find it!" Tom whispered into the bed sheets. Finally letting sleep overcome his consciousness, there were, for once, no nightmares to disturb his sleep.

The chirping noises of birds woke Tom. Opening his eyes he sat up over on his bed before he stood and laid the bed sheet flat on his pillow. With his bare feet, he stepped on cold ground and walked to his wardrobe that was next to the wall adjacent to his bed. Creaky sounds were produced when he opened the wardrobe's door. Inside of his wardrobe wall were fine clothes, stuffed toys, and many other small toys like boats and cars. Using wandless magic, he instantly created a fire. The flames consumed all his most prized stolen objects causing some objects turned into ashes while others merely melted into shapeless black globs.

The fire extinguished as Tom closed his wardrobe's door. He removed his sleeping attire, put on a shirt and a pair of trousers, then went to the matron's office. He knocked the door twice, and, hearing the word 'enter', turned the doorknob and opened the door. He saw a woman with wavy auburn hair sitting on a wooden chair. Her lips were covered with lipstick and her entwined hands supported her chin, while her elbows leaned against a desk that had nothing on it except a nameplate saying 'Mrs. Cole, Matron of Wool's Orphanage'.

For a while no words were exchanged and instead Tom looked into Mrs. Cole's doubtful light blue eyes, which were staring directly at him. This staring game continued for a few minutes before she blinked her eyes and broke the connection.

"Er, do you need something Tom?" She was puzzled at the boy's sudden appearance inside of her office. Tom smiled and replied, "I want to roam around Vauxhall Road." Mrs. Cole granted him permission to go, and he left the orphanage, going directly to a store and purchasing a journal. He returned to the orphanage and wrote the first entry.

_July 25, 1936  
>HJP of mine,<br>How are you my dearest? I have just bought a journal to keep you informed about the goings on around here, though I know that you have not yet been born this time. I am thrilled to let you know that I'm expecting an old man by July thirty-first. I already have a trick up my sleeves, my HJP. We will meet very soon.  
>Yours, T.M. Riddle<em>

Tom closed his newly purchased journal. Six more days, then the old-coot would come. Everything was in place, and he could not wait for this event as he stared down at his closed journal.

Tom gazed at his door as three knocks sounded against it.

"Tom, you have a visitor, and he wants to talk to you," Mrs. Cole's voice echoed into his room. Suddenly, his heart was beating fast. He stood from his chair, walked few steps to his door, turned the door knob slowly, and peeked out the slightly open door.

As expected, a man came over, accompanied by Mrs. Cole. Mrs. Cole excused herself and left the man at Tom's doorstep. Opening his squeaky door a little bit more, Tom saw a not-so-old-man with short, wavy auburn hair. His eyes were more vibrant and gleamed oddly, probably from his spectacles. His auburn mustache covered his upper mouth and joined with his beard, which was not even long enough to touch his collar bone. His mouth moved a bit and some of his white teeth were shown as he spoke.

"May I come in?"

Tom made himself calm down as slowly opened the rusty door. He let the man enter his room and offered his chair as a place for the man to sit down. In return, the man smiled and sat at the chair. Tom moved over his bed as he sat on the edge. Tom's eyes moved and connected to another pair of blue eyes. The man moved his lips as he introduced himself.

"I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's a pleasure to meet you Tom," Dumbledore extended his right hand to Tom. "I'm Tom Marvolo Riddle, Professor," Tom replied as he briefly shook the man's hand.

"Do you sometimes encounter yourself being different from the other kids?" Dumbledore's unexpected question shocked Tom as he slowly nodded.

"Yes, sometimes, I can do things that the other kids can't do, such as I can make an object fly or move on its own. Is it normal?" Tom questioned Dumbledore.

"Well yes, it's magic. Hogwarts is a specialized school for children like you. The teachers at this school wish to help you enhance your magic to its full potential," Dumbledore was smiling at him as he explained.

Tom already knew about this, but he had to play along for his plan to work. He pretended to be a surprised ten year old child and responded, "So, there are people like me? Who can do such things and see the future?"

A moment of silence occurred.

"See the future? Indeed, my boy, that is a rare magic that most people wish to use for their gains." Dumbledore had broken the silence as his eyes eerily twinkled at Tom.

The words would seem simple to anyone else, but to Tom, it was a different story. The word boy, even without any malice in it, had caused his mind to spark up with anger. But, he HAD to control his temper just for ONCE. Releasing his breathe, he cooled himself off while grinding his teeth and pulling his mouth into a position that would be mistaken as a smile, easily pretending that the word was not bothering him at all.

Tom's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a loud thud. Tom looked at Dumbledore, who stood from his seat and handed a sealed envelope to Tom. He took it and saw that it had a red melted seal mark of 'H'. He tore the edge of the envelope and he unfolded the letter, upon which black words had begun to appear.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
>Dear Mr. Riddle,<br>We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Attached is the list of all required books and equipment. Please be informed that the term will begin on September first.  
>Yours sincerely,<br>Armando Dippet, Headmaster_

Still looking at his letter, Tom had heard that Dumbledore was offering his assistance on obtaining the required objects listed on the paper. Tom slightly nodded in return. Dumbledore smiled and walked out of the room, signaling Tom to follow him.

Tom and Dumbledore went down the staircase. The man led him to Mrs. Cole, who was in reception hall. Dumbledore asked her to let him accompany Tom to buy the school supplies. Mrs. Cole nodded at Dumbledore and gave Tom a-word-of-care as she bid farewell to the two gentlemen.

The two wizards went off to Diagon Alley, a hustle-and-bustle place that was crowded with both new and returning students who wanted to buy their school supplies. There were several shops in the place, such as Cauldron, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream, Madam Malkin's Robes, and Gringotts Bank.

Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle went to the stationary shop to buy writing materials. Paying the shop keeper, Albus pulled some knuts out of his pocket. The money was credited in Hogwarts' Account, Tom thought, so it was impossible for that old-coot to pay for his expenses. Staring over the dropped pennies in the shop keeper's hands, Tom took his things from counter and dropped it all into his cart.

Tom, together with Albus, strolled along with his half-empty cart when he heard some murmuring complaints in his ears. His eyes searched for the source of the whispers, and he slowly brought his gaze around to a pet store. Several snakes were inside of a glass cage with pin-holes displayed outside the store. He wanted to chuckle at them but he refrained himself, especially because the old-coot was watching his every move.

The next stop was the second hand robe shop and lastly, just on the next block, was Ollivander's Wand Shop. It was the somewhat the same scenario as his dreams. The bell rang over the place as he pushed open the door. The place was full of small rectangular boxes on each of the six shelves and the same old man with thick spectacles was sitting on his usual stool.

"Ah, young man, I always wandered when you would visit me. Professor, I'm glad you are here too. Thanks for lending Fawkes," Ollivander pondered at Tom as he swiftly looked and smiled at Dumbledore.

"The pleasure is mine, my friend, but I have a request. I would like to help me with Tom, a right hander. He will be attending Hogwarts this coming term," Dumbledore introduced Tom to Ollivander.

"Ah I see," Ollivander's skeptical eyes looked at Tom. Moving to his shelves, Ollivander picked some boxes and returned to the counter. He laid all the boxes in the counter and opened each of their covers. The wand maker gave him a cherry wood wand with Unicorn hair. The wand marker told Tom to give a flick. He tired to flick, once, twice, thrice but nothing came. Tom shook his head and returned the wand.  
>The wand maker looked at wand and returned to its box. The wand maker attempted another wand, a walnut with Dragon heartstring. Tom gave the wand a quick flick but it exploded and flew from his hand, hitting some of the boxes off of the counter.<p>

Ollivander stared at Tom and then looked at Dumbledore. He moved away and as he returned he was holding a yew stick with red feather. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling when he saw the wand. However, Tom had already seen that wand—his soulless counterpart had held the same one, and it had caused many deaths. The wand resonated with him as he held it.

"My young one, that wand chooses its master. It is the same wand that I made from the feather of Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix," Ollivander smiled with wonder as he looked at the smiling Dumbledore.

"That will do… Tom," said Dumbledore

* * *

><p>"Slytherin!"<p>

Dumbledore's contagious smile turned into a frown as Tom was sorted in Slytherin. A Silly-Sly-Sorting-Hat was prying into Tom's head about his dream of holding Godric Gryffindor's Silver Sword. Tom Riddle was neither a brave soul nor a knight in shining armor that would qualify him to enter Gryffindor's House. He was quite the opposite-cunning, dexterous man, and one of Salazar Slytherin's heirs. Removing the Sorting Hat from Tom's head, Dumbledore was disappointed at the results and he glared at the Hat.

_September 2, 1936  
>My HJP,<br>My fellow Slytherins were even more prejudiced by birth. Well, if you are a muggleborn, I have informed them that I'm a half-blood. All of them stopped making such noises. Oh, my dear, but I must sleep. I'll write you later.  
>Always yours,<br>T.M. Riddle_

Dropping his blue eyes because of tiredness, Tom stopped writing in his journal. He closed it and tapped his wand to set a protective charm. He tucked it under his pillow, and, feeling satisfied, he cast his bed sheet over his body. He went to sleep dreaming only of the person who preoccupied his mindscape every night—Harry James Potter.

In Tom's first years in Hogwarts, he had given the Great Hall a plentiful display of green snake banners. Most of the House Points were earned by Tom's diligence to his magical studies. Even the Head of the Gryffindor, Albus, was proud of Tom, and had given every round of applause to Slytherin House for four consecutive years.

It was a wasteful four years in Hogwarts, since Tom did not take any action to his plans, only piling books on the table as he brooded his free time in the library. The Slytherins even wondered why he did not make it into the House of Ravenclaw. He was rather a studious and handsome lad and all of the Houses would eat their hearts out.

In his fifth year, as expected by his housemates, he became a prefect. Most of them feared Tom's privilege to deduct points from every house. Every mistake, even the simplest one, was notified accordingly. Some of his housemates from Slytherin were still reluctant about his presence, yet most of them felt his superior authority as they urged themselves to follow him.

Now it was a time to work on his plans once again. He had already been given some power over his housemates and so he had gained recognition. Every night, Tom woke up and called over his first recruit knights: Avery, Dolohov, Lestrange, Mulciber, Nott, and Rosier.

It was the first time Tom snuck outside of the common room to venture with his knights. Instructing the knights to follow him, they lit their wands and silently trailed after Tom. They climbed the moving stairs up to seventh floor of the castle. Tom stopped at the tapestry of a man and he told them to observe.

Watching and wondering what Tom was doing as he walked back and forth through the corridor, the six knights suddenly heard a click sound across the tapestry. They were amazed at him, but Tom cautioned them not to say a word until they entered the room.

"Welcome to the Room of Requirement, my loyal knights," Tom proclaimed to them, his voice echoing throughout the room.

The Room of Requirement was spacious. In its center, there was a big hanging chandelier that cast a dim light through the area. There were also dirty white curtains hanging on each side of the four big-chain blocked windows.

Tom faced his knights and took from his robes a piece of paper. He raised his wand and said, "Geminio," causing the paper to duplicate itself into two, four, and six. Still with his wand up, Tom cast the Wingardium Leviosa spell on the duplicated papers, making them float above and land themselves over the hands of the six students. The students each looked over their own piece of paper, each quickly reading over the words.

_I solemnly swear I will not to tell anyone about the meeting held within the Room of Requirement. With this letter, I am obliged to sign and I will take under an oath._

To Tom's expectations, the six students quickly signed and returned the paper. Tom called Dolohov to move forward. Tom instructed him to lift his left arm. Tom pointed his wand over the man's skin as a red laser was produced from the tip of his wand. Slowly, dragging his wand, Tom's eyes reflected the red light as Dolohov cried in pain. The other knights were shocked and gulped, choking on their own saliva at the mere sight of the torture. Tom released the man's left arm. The man's arm, which was totally red and almost bruised looking, was engraved with a skull with a snake tongue mark. Tom smirked, satisfied on his work of art.

~Nicely done~

The six knights saw and shivered at the hissing sound coming from Tom's lips. Now, they knew why Tom was in the house of Slytherin. He was, after all, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, who could hiss a sound like that.

* * *

><p><em>May 1, 1943<em>

_My own HJP,  
>I know you should be proud of me, my dear. I have become a candidate for Head Boy this coming school year. I have already gained many medals and trophies for all academic activities, and I am the only one who scored all O's in the O.W.L. exams. The professors were almost dropped on their chairs as the results were announced, and the bookish Ravenclaws became a laughing stock since they did not even get four O's.<br>Unfortunately, I already have several unwanted admirers but I don't care about them since I have you. Always, I think it is the best time to open the pipelines.  
>Scheming yours,<br>T.M. Riddle  
><em>  
>One night, Tom snuck out to the second floor girl's lavatory. He wondered why the oh-so-great Salazar Slytherin put the Basilisk inside of the girl's lavatory, but, walking to his destination, he saw a pigtailed, black haired Myrtle sulking over a particular sink.<p>

So much for his plan, but oh well, one mudblood wouldn't ruin his plans, or better yet, she would be his first and final experiment.

"Obscuro, Petrificus Totalus" Tom cast two spells at Myrtle who became both blindfolded and frozen at the same time. Bypassing her, He went to a sink with a scrape mark and he hissed ~Open~

The sink turned to reveal a door. Automatically, the door opened and several pipelines appeared against each other forming a downward staircase. Without any concern for his schoolmate, Tom literally dragged Myrtle down the stairs to Salazar's Basilisk.

It was déjà vu.

Again, Tom was climbing down a pipelines staircase. At the end of the stairs, he stepped in shallow water that almost covered the ground. Still dragging the petrified girl along as he waded on the shallow water.

Feeling soggy and wet, Tom saw murals of snakes and proceeded to the entrance, which was guarded by a magnificent twenty foot tall basilisk. The basilisk's iridescent dark green scales over the dark area were reflected from the shallow water. Its pair of black eyes, which had no eyelids, glared in a one straight sight. Flicking its slender fork-like tongue, it viciously greeted him.

~You have awaken my eternal slumber. Only a heir of Slytherin could open the Chamber of Secrets. Ah, I smell a filthy mudblood within my lair, I suppose I'd better eat you two~ The basilisk threatened the intruders.

~Really now, you might smell this awful mudblood with me, but I'm sad to say that neither she nor I can be eaten. I have an experiment with this girl, but I require your aid to complete it~ Tom hissed at the basilisk.

~What a cunning little man, you are truly a heir to Salazar himself. Very well, you'll have the privileges to do what you demand~ The basilisk truthfully answered him as its slender fork-like tongue continued to flick over its nose.

Placing the petrified mudblood near Salazar's Statue, Tom pointed the wand over her petrified body and said, "Finite Incantatem. Rope spell." Only the petrify curse was uplifted as the still blinded and tied up Myrtle screamed and cried, which made Tom really annoyed. Oh well, her shrieking voice would be gone once this ritual was over.

Wanting to rub his aching head, Tom decided against it as he took his journal and a silver dagger from his sleeves. He laid his journal next to the screaming girl, and with the silver dagger, he evilly smiled at the blade's reflection.

Forcefully, he made Myrtle lay down on the wet ground by kneeing her back. In a flash, Tom quickly stabbed Myrtle's back multiple times. Her blood spilled over his journal.

Suddenly, Tom felt a queasiness in his stomach as an acidic taste pushed out of his mouth. He was persistently vomiting a white fluid substance onto the bloody journal. His blue eyes were swelling as he looked at his journal and it absorbed the blood and the fluid together. He regained his balance as his eyes were restrained as he took the journal, which had been turned into a dark artifact.

He stood up from the wet ground, his robes already soaked from the shallow lake. He glanced back to the flicking-tongue basilisk, and requested it to devour the dead girl. Obediently, the basilisk made its move. It opened its mouth as the two sharp fangs revealed. It swallowed the now dead Myrtle whole, Tom left as the basilisk fell asleep, and left the lair mostly undisturbed. He closed the chamber once more by saying, "Colloportus."

"Now, it is done." His voice echoed in the second floor girl's lavatory and his blue eyes flashed red momentarily as he hugged the journal.

* * *

><p>It was his last day being a fifth year. All houses gathered and made noises over the greenish banners of the Great Hall. Armando Dippet, the Headmaster of Hogwarts stood from his seat and walked to the podium. The entire student body stopped and looked up as silence greeted the Great Hall.<p>

Headmaster Dippet declared that Myrtle was missing, though he assumed that the girl went back to her Muggle home. None of the students were shocked, but were probably even more pleased that the mudblood was gone. He advised the students to be on alert because of the ongoing raid from Grindelward and Muggle War.

Tom hopped onto the train. Looking from the distant castle, he bid farewell to Hogwarts. Now, clutching his journal, he left the Platform 9 ¾. The Little Hangleton would be his next destination, and he would gladly meet his only magical relative, uncle Morfin.

Tom stared at the hanging dead snake nailed on the door. He slowly opened the door, and saw that the place was a mess. There were small glass shards lain on a stain carpet. In the middle was an slanted table with one broken leg. He saw a man sitting at a chair and petting a snake that was wrapped around his arms.

The man, his uncle, had thick, curly dark brown hair, and, more intriguing, was his pair of dark eyes looking at different direction at once. And alas, his uncle's muddy ring finger wore a ring with a crest of Peverell—the Resurrection Stone.

~You again, you filthy muggle! What do you want?~ Clutching his fingernails at the armchair, Morfin angrily hissed at Tom. ~What a nice greeting you have there, my uncle, you surely have a temper~ Tom hissed at him as the snake moved its head and flicked its tongue.

~You can speak snake's tongue?~ Morfin asked him, baffled. ~Boy? That's it! I had enough of this!~ Tom said in malice as his eyes flashed in red. Ever since he had gotten into Harry's dream; the word BOY was an INSULT. THIS time, he had the RIGHT to show his anger about EVERYTHING he didn't like, and NO one would disrupt HIS raging emotions.

Tom charged Morfin, knocking down the chair in the process and making Morfin's head hit the chair's frame. His uncle now lay unconscious and the snake moved near to its master with a defensive posture.

~Step aside~ Tom warned the snake but it raised its head higher and flashed its fangs. Using wandless magic once again, Tom let the snake fly upwards and hit it hard against the ceiling. He released the wandless magic from the floating snake, letting it drop quickly to the floor. Tom moved to his uncle and jabbed his silver dagger deeply into Morfin's chest. Neither struggle nor sound was made from his uncle as the blood spread over the man's dirty clothes.

"This ring is for my bride," Tom said, taking the ring from the dead Morfin's dirty ring finger. He sneered at the red stone and he slipped it onto his ring finger. He gazed over his dead uncle for awhile as the dead body suddenly shrank and changed into a shiny femur bone on top of the bloody clothes. Tom picked up the bone and left the Gaunt's house. He walked out of the gate when someone called his name, "Tom!"

Tom looked and saw an elderly woman running towards him. She was wearing three white feathers pinned into a flat, light blue hat, which was covering her brunette tied hair. Her fair skin was shown from her short-sleeved light blue dress that just barely touched the ground and her eyes were deep blue while her wrinkles were clearly visible. She stopped next to Tom.

"How did you walk that fast? You were just behind me, dear, but here you are now, near the shack!" She took small a deep breath and looked at Tom.

"Mother!" She recognized the voice as she turned around and saw her son, Tom. Looking paranoid, she glanced over the other Tom, but now, no one was there.

Odd, a minute ago he was next to her.

* * *

><p>Two months had already passed after incident in Little Hangleton. Returning to Hogwarts was a refuge for Tom, and most of his free time was spent inside the library searching for some books. He did come across a book from the Restricted Section. Neither <span>Magick Moste Evile <span>nor Le Livre Des Figures Hiéroglyphiques caught his attention but an old black book entitled, Isis's Key of Eternal Life easily did. He took the book from the lower shelf.

_According to Non-Magick Folks, Isis was a goddess of Ancient Egypt. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife. She had done great things that Non-Magick Folks had ever imagined. She ordered [cursed] the Non-Magick Folks to build her shrines and castles called the Pyramids._

_Most wizard analysts think that this goddess Isis was a really witch. She bribed and used Non-Magick Folks for her gains. She used her wand, which was mistaken by Non-Magick Folks as the 'Key of Life' to command them as she pleased. It was impossible for a wand to give life to the dead to give that wand such ambiguous name._

_Most wizard analyst also believed that if the said key really existed, it would be a gateway to death itself rather than a life provider. But alas, it was only a superstition since they saw many imitations of the said key, but none of them have been proven to be the Key of Life at all._

Tom stared at the rubbish article for a long while, and did not notice that he would be late for his next class. He took out a watch locket, the Time-Turner from his pocket. He turned counter-clockwise on its crooked wheel.

In a blink of an eye, he was now sitting next to a familiar boy with straight black hair who wore a pair of eyeglasses, which covered his green—no, BLACK—colored eyes.

"What, Riddle, something on my pretty face?" mocked Charlus Potter, who would be Harry's distant grandfather and Tom's lifetime-partner in Potions.

"Well, Potter, I'd rather faced the wall than wasting my time instead of gawking over your ugly face," Rolling his eyes, Tom did not bother to glance over at the enraged Gryffindor git. However, he did look at his housemate, Dorea Black, a black wavy haired girl, who ogled at Potter. Ever since year one, she fancied that arrogant man—ah yes, it was a one-sided love, Tom thought.

Well, once Harry has been born, Harry would eventually submit to him. He would not allow anyone, even Fate itself to ruin their bond. Well, firstly, he must settle on his priorities in order.

So much information to digest inside of his brain, he looked up at Professor Slughorn, who was lecturing about the Elixir used to Induce Euphoria. As instructed by Slughorn, he pulled out his textbook and placed it on his desk.

* * *

><p>Even though Tom had gathered several knights along his path, he had wasted his year of researching for useless spells, unreal stories, and objects to gain immortality. Tom, being a seventh year student in Hogwarts still continued his search inside Hogwarts Library.<p>

Entering the library, Tom greeted Madam Pince and gave her a new permit letter to access the Restricted Section. Madam Pince took the piece of parchment paper and her eyes glanced over the letter. She boringly looked at Tom.

"Mr. Riddle, for almost seven years in Hogwarts, why did you choose to stay inside of the Restricted Section rather than to hang around with your fellow housemates?" Madam Pince questioned him.

"Well, Madam Pince, knowledge is power, a power that nobody can steal from you." Tom used his charming smile as he answered her. Either bewitched or embarrassed, Madam Pince's face flashed red for a long while. She did not dare reply as she grunted.

"Very well said, Mr. Riddle, I might say, you will be a great leader someday." Popping out of nowhere, Dumbledore defended Tom's statement and Madam Pince made face at Dumbledore. She had enough problems for a day as she continued her work in the library.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your studies, Tom, but I need to talk to you in my office. It's about your… heritage." Dumbledore did catch Tom's attention. Without any other choice, he followed sneaky Dumbledore to the office.

Opening his door, Dumbledore let Tom entered his room. The room was simple and small, decorated in red and yellow wallpaper with a red carpet. The room also had window by the edge, a small fireplace by other corner, and two chairs and a table were near the window. On the middle of the table was a bountiful tray of lemon drops. Dumbledore was, as a-matter-of-fact, a sweet-toothed man. He offered Tom the tray of lemon drops. Tom cautiously took one lemon drop and he sat on the chair.

Making himself comfortable on his chair, Dumbledore put a small green box on his desk. The man stared into Tom's baffled blue eyes as the man asked him to open the box. Taking and opening the green box, Tom saw a familiar golden locket with an "S" engraved on the cover. He then looked up to a bemused man, who was raising one of his eyebrows. Oh, that old man could read minds. Inexperienced with Occlumency, Tom tried to empty his thoughts to avoid further question from this man.

"Have you seen that locket before, Tom?" Dumbledore questioned Tom.

Unable to deny it, Tom weakly nodded in return. Dumbledore told him it was from his mother. Tom questioned the man about from whom, how, and where he got the locket. The man simply smiled at him, and told him that he was awarded it by his friend, Madam Hepzibah Smith at her cottage.

But from Tom's analysis, the locket was bribed from the woman. It was impossible that Dumbledore and Smith were mere acquaintances. That woman was arrogant enough to be disqualified from her place in the House of Hufflepuff. Dumbledore did something to that woman. This man was really a wolf in a sheep's clothing.

"I cannot deny this from you, but your mother, who strived from poverty, was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself and that locket can prove that you are also the ONLY heir to Salazar Slytherin," Dumbledore had declared truthfully about Tom's heritage. Tom did know about his ancestors but it was unexpected that Dumbledore would reveal such information without any second thoughts.

"But alas, your father is a muggle who shared the same name as you. I hope you'll understand the situation," The man added other information. This time, Tom reacted to Dumbledore's statement.

"I don't care about that man! He did not deserve to be a father. He did not even bother to look for me, and I don't need his encouragement to be independent. I'll be able to strive for myself to gain what I need," Standing up from his seat, Tom excused himself and took the box with the locket in it. He walked out of the room.

This despicable man is getting in his nerves but he had to be patient enough to trick him. Soon, after this last year in Hogwarts, he would get what he always wanted. Ah, the Ministry of Magic has the power to control the Wizarding World, and so, applying for work in the Ministry of Magic would be a great advantage.

Tom went to his room and closed his curtain. Gaining enough privacy, he sat on his bed and he opened the jewelry box. As he lifted up the golden locket, he heard something the sound of metal falling on the ground. He looked down at his bed, and cast an 'Accio' spell to retrieve a tarnished key and a rolled paper, which was a muggle currency of 2000 sterling pounds.

What would he do with this key and this useless muggle money?

* * *

><p>After the incident with Dumbledore, Tom did notice that the sly meddler was neither around the Transfiguration Class nor the Hogwarts Grounds. Even during Tom's N.E.W.T. examination, Dumbledore was nowhere to be found. Some professors said that Professor Dumbledore had an important competition to attend.<p>

The Elder Wand was at stake! Tom's thoughts wandered even more…

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Hi everyone, this will be the last installment for the month of July. Thank you for your reviews and alerts. Bye!


	4. Chapter 3: Daydreams

**Title: Surreal Reality: Mine to Possess**

**Disclaimer: If I did own the Harry Potter Series, I rather not published my works here.**

**Alternative Plot by Anniriel**

**Beta Read by: gomenasai-for-everything**

****Main Pairing: Tom/Harry and James/Lily****

**Summary: Seer glimpses the future and yet the future lies beyond destiny or by man's choice. Join young Tom, as he uncovers his own deadly fate by a mere chance. He had defied fate not knowing the severe consequences he must face.**

**Chapter Rating: T**

**Warnings: sidetrack time skip.**

**Notes:**

"Speaking"  
><strong>HEADLINES<strong>

**Date Edited: 12-August-2011**

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><p><em>"Thought is the labor of the intellect, reverie is its pleasure."<em>

_Victor Hugo_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Daydreams<strong>

Seven years in Hogwarts went by faster than Tom thought. Now, he was turning 17 this coming December and he had already finished his magical schooling. He would definitely miss Hogwarts, but now, equipped with knowledge, he could stand on his own.

Riding the train to Platform 9 ¾, Tom did not bother to return to the orphanage. He would be glad enough that he was now free from such poverty. Stepping out of the train and glancing over his surroundings, Tom saw many students, from first years to seventh years, all of them likely blissful to be able to end their school year without any wariness on their faces.

Students often mindlessly thought that their school years in Hogwarts were nothing but fun, pranks, and studies, but not even the professors knew that there were some interactivities held secretly inside of Hogwarts' Room of Requirement. These meetings were brilliantly conducted and conceived by a popular, role model student named Tom Marvolo Riddle—a typical unnoticed villain—who often gained many school recognitions, honors, and trophies.

Looking through more students and fresh graduates, Tom saw his Death Eaters, who had gone to their own families and friends. While they greeted each other with phrases from Congratulations to Best of Luck, they gave Tom only a short nod as he passed by.

Tom stood and looked up at the reddish brick wall with a steel metal plate with the words 'Hogwarts Express Platform 9 ¾' written on it. Diverting his eyes to the front wall, Tom walked through the wall and another similar platform appeared at his sight. He looked over the area as he was standing near Platform 10 just by the next pillar.

It was the same crowded King's Cross Station. Many unnoticed wizards, witches, and Muggleborns dressed in Muggle's clothes exited with a mass of Muggles. Walking out of the station, usually, Tom did not feel any fear at all.

But today, it was different.

Every step Tom took made his bones shiver, especially when he looked over the identical benches. He found himself feeling the need to inspect each bench, but he decided against it. As Tom walked, thinking of his Harry's dream world, he began feeling unexpectedly restless because of a frightful sensation.

Tom would not deny to himself that he was still afraid of death, nor would he deny that another of his fears was of being a fragile soul. True, his other soulless self was a madman who wanted nothing more than to gain absolute and endless power. Consequently craving for more power, Tom's other self came to break his own soul, making himself no more than a walking dead man. He must seek out a better alternative, against all odds.

One is enough, as he thought.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself as he exited the station. He did not even dare to glance over to King's Cross Station's haunting moments.

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><p>Tom followed the road sign to Charing Cross Road, and then he stopped by a small and dimly broken-down pub compressed between a book shop and a record shop. The pub's two glass windows were broken and some of the window shards scattered over the window frame. The wooden black main door was already being eaten by termites, creating uneven holes.<p>

Staring over the broken wooden plank on top of the door frame 'The Leaky', another plank suddenly appeared out of nowhere with the word 'Cauldron' on it. The two broken planks linked together to form a full name-The Leaky Cauldron. The black main door swung as it threw out the termites. The uneven holes vanished from the door. A clinging sound was heard as Tom looked at the source of the sound. The glass shards floated and twirled together, to form a new and undamaged piece of glass. The undamaged glass magically fitted itself to the window frames. A mere deserted broken-down pub suddenly turned into a newly furnished The Leaky Cauldron.

Looking behind him, Tom saw that the Muggles did not notice any change at the pub, as though nothing strange had happened at all. Nevertheless, he entered the pub by pulling main door. As the door swung, neither a bell nor a greeting was heard except for an overwhelming noise from wizards, witches, and muggleborns alike.

Tom was not claustrophobic but he got easily irritated with the overcrowded area. To add more to his annoyance, he went through several peoples' elbow blocking and hitting his skin. It was more likely harassing him through unintentional eye and skin contact especially, hitting his buttocks by perverted witches who blocked his way to the inn keeper.

The inn keeper named Tom was a semi-bald thin old man with a pair of swollen black eyes. His hands were uncontrollably shaking on their own. Alone, he was running the pub with all the customers ordering butterbeers and firewhiskeys and answering all their gossips. On the other hand, young Tom just heard some intriguing gossip from each of the customers: "Have you heard? The Dark Lord has been defeated!" A squeaky voice of a man said from a distant stool.

"Yer O'ly he'rd? Blem'y laddie, it's alre'dy pub'rishd in T'days Dai'ry Proph't yaw'in!" A bloated man said as he drank his butterbeer and raised a newspaper to the other man. Young Tom's eyes shifted at the newspaper printed with big, bold, and black letters.

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE REIGNS****  
><strong>**AGAINST THE DARK LORD!**

So, the old-fool-coot got himself a new and powerful wand, Tom sarcastically thought. Blasted, someone must disarm that man. Ah, he knew what to do.

Shifting his thoughts, since he didn't want to hear more useless gossips, Tom slid 100 galleons across to the man. In exchange, the inn keeper gave him key engraved with an '11'. Pocketing the key, Tom walked and opened the other door next to the inn keeper. The door automatically slammed at the same time, the noises from the pub cut off.

At last, serenity greeted Tom's ears, but unfortunately, his eyes deceived him with a dead-end brick wall. Pulling his yew wand from his pocket, Tom tapped it against four unusually upright bricks. The bricks began moving against each other, causing a large cloud of dust that obstructed his view. An individual brick turned counterclockwise. Suddenly, however, the bricks stopped moving and the dust started to fade, revealing a new pathway to Diagon Alley.

Walking around the Diagon Alley, Tom stopped at the first intersection. He gazed at a slightly twisted tower named Gringotts Wizarding Bank. As he entered the facility, he noticed that the employed personnel were all goblins. Tom moved to the first counter and he respectfully greeted the goblin. The goblin, 'Ragnok' as stated on his pinned nameplate, leaned against his counter. He rudely asked for his assistance.

Tom, being a short tempered man had cut-off his anger. He shortly answered that he needed to open a vault with his key. Ragnok skeptically frowned and asked him for the key. Obediently, Tom gave the tarnished key to Ragnok. Inspecting the key, Ragnok called him to him: "Mr. Gaunt, please follow me."

Mr. Gaunt? Tom wandered and he raised one of his eyebrows.

Ragnok led the way to the dark cave provided only a badly lit lamp. They continued walking the flat surface until Tom felt a mushy on his feet like the ground was already filled with mud. They stopped as the light directed to a lone trolley. They rode the trolley to enter the mines with only the dim light coming from the lamp guiding their way down the tracks. Pulling the handle, the trolley's wheels sparked against the rails and came to a complete stop. The goblin passed the lamp to Tom and jumped off the trolley.

Tom followed behind and he lifted the lamp to the vault with three digit number '7-3-4'. Ragnok asked Tom to shine the light on the door, before the goblin opened the vault using Tom's tarnished key. The vault was opened but neither an heirloom nor a knut was found inside.

What a wasteful and useless journey. Alas, only the muggle money would help him so far. Now, Tom needed to find a job. He remembered from the owls' postage from his school before he graduated that several job invitations from different Ministries-one of them the Ministry of Magic-had been included in the postage. Tom smirked as Ragnok returned his key.

Leaving the Gringotts Wizarding Bank, he returned to the Leaky Cauldron. The pub was still noisy and crowded. Annoyed from such noise, Tom went upstairs to his room number 11. He slipped the key into the lock and turned the doorknob. The room was basic, consisting of a single size bed, a lavatory, a wall wardrobe, and a table and chair by the window.

Pulling out a miniature trunk and his wand from his pocket, Tom laid the miniature trunk on the floor near the bed frame. He pointed his wand to the miniature trunk. He cast a spell that turned the miniature truck to a huge bulky-sized trunk.

Next, Tom went to the lavatory. He glanced over the cloudy mirror just to see a charming reflection, but soon a grotesque face of a bald man started over a rather clear mirror. His face had pale waxy skin with a seemingly boneless nose, lips as pale as the rest of his skin, and eyes as red as blood. Now, he became Voldemort with his soul still intact.

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><p>Holding a lever back-plated handle as he closed a rosewood door, Voldemort looked over to his newly purchased cottage. The cottage was built with a brick-like stones, a chimney, and a window just beside the door.<p>

Stepping down the stairs, he felt the cool breeze over his skin and smelt the salty water of the shore from his nose. Tinworth, Harry would sure love this place, he thought.

Apparating out of the shore, Voldemort landed on a furry surface-a black carpet. His red eyes looked around the area. He was inside of not just a room, but an office.

The office was covered with silver and gold wallpapers. It was not as big as the Headmaster's office in Hogwarts, but the six bookshelves would be mistaken as a mini library. On top of the six bookshelves were several trophies and plaques.

Voldemort glared over to a shadow toad-like figure at his desk. It was seemed like this figure was a woman messing up his documents. Clearing his throat, he caught the woman red-handed and caused her to stiffen and move her hands from the documents on the table.

"Miss Umbridge, what are you doing over my desk?" Voldemort questioned, giving her a deathly glare while Miss Umbridge only flashed her restrained smile. She quickly regained her finesse.

"Mr. Riddle, I haven't heard the sound of your apparate."

"Get out of my office before I do some serious damage," Voldemort warned the nosy woman. His red eyes still glared at her as she walked out of his office. Sitting at his chair, Voldemort rearranged the messy documents over his desk, wondering why Miss Umbridge was in his office. Was she searching for something that would demote or even terminate him?

That stinking toad woman was a hindrance to his career. Another meddling female counterpart of Dumbledore, Dolores Jane Umbridge was his expected rival over the title Under Secretary. No wandered that his soulless counterpart, Voldemort, did not bother to recruit her. No matter, he would wipe out the toad faced woman and that meddling old coot too. But first, he must convince Harry to join his side.

Being bored as he looked over to a name plate with a cursive writing on his desk 'Tom Marvolo G. Riddle, Jr. (Head of International Magical Cooperation)'. Voldemort placed his left elbow against his desk. He opened the right drawer, where a white envelope with an 'M' melted mark was placed. He took the white envelope and closed his drawer. Shifting his eyes over the closed door, he called for Mr. Crouch to come over to his office.

A crack sound was heard as dark haired man appeared in front of his desk. Mr. Crouch had dark hair and a barely noticeable moustache. He was wearing a gray coat and tie. Removing his hat, he politely bowed his head to Mr. Riddle. In return, Voldemort acknowledged his greetings. He handed the white envelope to Mr. Crouch, before instructing him to personally give the envelope to the Head of the Ministry of Magic in Egypt. Voldemort dismissed Mr. Crouch, who bowed again and disapparated with another loud crack.

* * *

><p>Voldemort traveled to Devon, France for political affairs and also for his personal interest. Another prospect for his immortality was the Infamous Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone. He arrived at a tiny house with a narrow lane. At the first glance, the location was rather dark and somewhat isolated. Why would Flamel live in this place? Was he a friend of Dumbledore, who was political icon and Light-oriented Wizard?<p>

Voldemort knocked twice on the sturdy two doors, and instantly, the two doors widely opened. He stepped on the floor, producing a creaking sound over the wooden floor. He cautiously walked to the dark hallway of the house. He stopped walking as he saw a shadow dwarf-sized figure appeared at the end of the hallway.

Walking towards him, the shadow produced a light that help Voldemort to see clearly who the shadow was—an elderly woman greeted him. She assisted him to the living room. Telling him to feel a home, she let Voldemort take a sit over the black couch.

While waiting for Nicolas, Voldemort looked around the living room. The living room was really dark and gloomy, with only a fireplace to provide a dim, red color in the room. He gazed over at a portrait hanging over the fireplace. The portrait has a white bed background as a young long black haired girl peeked over the frame. Her brown eyes were staring at his red ones.

The girl ran over the frame as she had vanished when a creaking sound was heard. The elder woman brought a tray with a cup of tea and laid it on the wooden table. Apologizing for her husband's lateness, she excused herself as she left Voldemort in the living room.

Voldemort waited another fifteen minutes without anything strange happening inside the room. The girl in the portrait did not appear anymore. When he heard another creaking sound, which was getting louder as an elder dwarf-sized man, Nicolas, arrived home.

It was seem like Nicolas was done with his errands. He looked drained as he sat near Voldemort. Nicolas gave a long breathe and without even looking at Voldemort, he stated, "A Philosopher's Stone is a challenging yet a devastating object to create. I had hardly ever imagined myself making such a creation just to gain eternal life. Beware and be prepared, young lad, no such stone shall be created without any equivalent trade."

A weird and tricky old man was Nicolas. He just gave him some puzzles on how the stone should be created. Voldemort did read the Manual but none mentioned how the stone was created. Surely, the stone must be obtained using the Mirror of Erised, like a gateway.

Now, how was it was created was only the old man's secret. But, getting the information was much harder than Voldemort thought. He wouldn't dare to curse this old man. He needed a proper chance to force the old man to drink some serums. Some other time maybe, as he thought. And finally, he left the Flamel's house.

* * *

><p>Today was thirty-first of July 1980. The savior of light and the Master of Death was about to arrive this day, Harry James Potter. Tom Riddle's object of fantasy and joy. He wanted to see and touch Harry but he couldn't, he needed to wait for the right time.<p>

Alone, Sitting on a throne-like chair, he looked even more like he had a snake's face than before, as he tapped his fingers over the armrest. Momentarily, he stopped tapping his fingers, and, grabbing golden locket engraved with an 'S' that was hanging around his neck, he pressed its back and then he said, "Augustus Rook!"

Suddenly, a man, who was covered with a black hooded robe, struggling in pain, appeared in the room. The hooded man hissed and weakly said, "Yes, sir."

Glaring with his red eyes, he demanded him to report on the undertakings in the Prophesy Hall's Room. Augustus replied to him that the orb of prophesy was made. It was rumored it spoke of a Dark Lord and a boy's name. Voldemort asked him if he knew the boy's name but Augustus did not reply. Voldemort raised his wand and pointed at Augustus.

"Crucio,"

Augustus dropped from the floor as he rolled his body, ducked his head, and screamed out of agony. Voldemort did not stop the torture until the man started to scream, "I DON'T KNOW! MASTER!"

Voldemort released the link from his wand to the man. The man's cries had stopped but he was still lying on the ground. "BE GONE!" The limping Augustus tried to move as quickly as possible so he could escape the room before his master could throw another curse. The door closed.

Voldemort was really frustrated. Fate still seemed to enjoy playing with him. He, however, still had other cards to play. He may not have stopped the destined prophesy, but he could still trick destiny itself. Still thinking, he pressed his locket once more and said, "Severus Snape."

Appearing in front of him was greasy haired man without any pained reaction showing on his face. He was wearing the same black robes without any hood to cover his face as he bowed down at Voldemort.

"My Lord, I am honored to assist you," Severus slowly said to him while his head leaned on the ground. "Rise, Severus. You don't need to degrade yourself," Voldemort told Severus as he stood from his position and stared not from a pair of fearsome red eyes but instead from a pair of fatigued blue eyes. Tom Riddle stood up as his glamour charm was removed.

"Now tell me, what happened inside Hogwarts, and especially about what is happening with Dumbledore?" Tom asked Severus as his blue eyes attentively looked into a pair of black ones. Tom felt guilty somehow as those black eyes stared at him. Tom remembered in his dreams where they stared in pain until they turned into a pair of lifeless black eyes, staring into nothingness.

"My Lord, Dumbledore was hooded as he entered Hog's Head. He sat at the far side of the room as he conducted several interviews for Defense of Dark Arts position. Soon after, he left the place," Severus reported to Tom. On the other hand, Tom disregarded his thoughts as he smiled at Severus, who was wondering why he was smiling. So as he expected, this report had already been projected to happen again.

"Interesting, neither the use of private wards nor the effort to conduct interviews in Hogwarts has been made, especially considering that Dumbledore is famous enough to defeat the last Dark Lord. Now, tell me why he let you come and listen to his interviews? And especially, Hog's Head is a place full of dark wizards and witches to conduct his interviews?" Tom rhetorically asked Severus while he placed his right fist against his right cheek. Severus did not answer anything as his face was shocked from Tom's declaration.

"Severus, there is a created prophesy about a child to be born this month. This child will eventually challenge the dark lord, but the prophesy gets tricky. It mentions that only one of them shall survive. This foolish and tricky prophesy refers to me being the Dark Lord. But who will be that child? I'm guessing that there are already two newborns this day—Longbottom's Family and Potter's Family," Tom informed Severus. Severus was terrified. Lily Potter and James Potter including their son, Harry were fated to die.

"My Lord, no, not Lily, please!" Severus begged for Tom's mercy.  
>"Now Severus, it's not my fault that I'm the destined Dark Lord. It happens that one of the prophesied newborns was Lily's offspring. I can't guarantee Lily's survival, especially since she is about to become a mother. Now, go and inform Albus Dumbledore to protect these two families since these days, I'll be doing a random raid," Tom honestly answered him.<br>"Yes, my Lord," With such disappointment, Severus disapparated with a loud crack.

Still holding his necklace, he called Lucius. A man with long platinum hair appeared and bowed down to him. Same as Severus, he let him stand on his feet and retold prophesy and the families involved.

"Lucius, I want you to lead the assault over the Longbottom's family on October 31 1981. I don't want any deaths on this raid, so please, control Bellatrix's senseless killings. I also want you and Bellatrix to stun the family and mark the Longbottom's son with a lightning bolt on his forehead. Then, revitalize and tell them that they are not really protected by Albus Dumbledore as intended. Leave and be prepared for our next upcoming raid," Tom commanded Lucius.

"Yes, my Lord" Lucius replied and he disapparated as Tom's blue eyes suddenly turned into bloody red once again.

* * *

><p>A loud crack was heard and Severus appeared out of the night. He walked up the hill town as an invisible ward vibrated. It melted the hill, which was turned out to be an illusion. The hill changed into a flattened grass ground with only two red square-like eyes to be seen. Severus moved closer to those squares as he saw a sketched-out hut's windows. The light from the hut's windows guided his way to it.<p>

Without any handle from the wooden door, Severus pushed the door. He saw a bespectacled man with long white hair sitting on a chair. Intensively looking at him, the man stood nearby a floating fire, which was loaded with burned papers while Snape walked towards him.

"Professor Albus, Voldemort knew about the prophesy. I don't know how he got the information, but he informed me there are two families involved in that prophesy, the Longbottoms and the Potters." Severus whispered fearfully at last word, and even Albus was troubled with the news. Severus still continued as he clutched to Albus's robes, "Please Professor, protect them! Save Lily, James, and their son! I don't want to see Lily dead or hear Lily's cries! Please! I already asked Voldemort to spare them but…" Severus pleaded to Albus as he collapsed and hit the wooden floor.

How did Voldemort know about the prophesy and the possible child involved. Who was this Voldemort? Was he a follower of Grindelward? Albus looked at the sturdy wand in his right hand. If so, did Gellert inform him about the Deathly Hallows?

"Severus, how brave of you to make a deal with Voldemort, I believe that he unable to perform your request. Am I right? Well then, I'll be assigning a secret keeper in each of the families. I'll be providing a protective ward over their homes and hope for the best," Albus made his promise to Severus as his spectacles reflected the floating fire that continued to spark.

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><p>Fire burst over the building as the Death Eaters spawned over the streets. A manic laughter from the hooded figure had cast Incendio to a harmless direction post. Hogsmeade, which was written on the metal plate has been distorted at its edges because of the intense heat. Most of the buildings were burned and the place was in turmoil.<p>

Behind the Death Eaters was Voldemort, watching over the chaotic environment. He wickedly smiled at the outnumbered members of the Order. It was seemed like Albus was not around to join the crashed party. Maybe perhaps, Severus and Albus were having a private talk right now. Lady luck was with him all along.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong> Sorry for any possible confusion and cliffhanger for this chapter. I have not started to the next chapter. Need to arrange the plot and add some of it. Thank you for your alerts and reviews.


	5. Chapter 4: Hallucinations

**Title: Surreal Reality: Mine to Possess**

**Disclaimer: **I have sworn to you, I am not the rightful owner of Harry Potter Series.****

**Alternative Plot by Anniriel**

**Beta Read by: gomenasai-for-everything**

****Main Pairing: Tom/Harry and James/Lily****

**Summary: Seer glimpses the future and yet the future lies beyond destiny or by man's choice. Join young Tom, as he uncovers his own deadly fate by a mere chance. He had defied fate not knowing the severe consequences he must face.**

**Chapter Rating: T**

**Warnings: time skip**

**Notes:**

"Speaking"**  
><strong>

_Writings_

**HEADLINES**

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><p>"<em>Let the dreamer walk about and act like one awakened…"<em>

_Carl Jung_

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Hallucinations<strong>

"—had a worse temper than her aunt, Walburga."

"One of her cousins is a Blood Traitor!"

"Indeed! What a shame!"

A pair of grey eyes stared at the irritated woman, who was wearing a black dress. Walking back and forth, she seemed to be pulling her bushy black hair with her long, claw-like finger nails. Her eyebrows began to meet as a group of nosy people continued gossiping about her family issues. The woman pointed her dragon string wand and cast 'Quietus' at the source of irritating gossip, which was a hanging portrait located near a lone chair.

The affected portrait, obviously upset, glared and inaudibly ranted at her. She smirked at the portrait as the other hanging portraits stopped their talking and frowned at her. After that, they left their own frames.

"Bellatrix, if you don't control your temper I have the rights to dispatch you from my territory," Lucius warned, slightly angered because he had told her not to make any ruckus or damage the inside of his manor. Her black eyes pierced through his light blue ones just for a while.

Bellatrix took a seat on a chair next to an empty tapestry, her legs and her arms crossed, and said, "I'm the Lord's first Lieutenant! It's ambiguous that the Lord had given you his instructions specifically, no killings should be done on this raid!"

Bellatrix lifted the sleeve on her right arm revealing a Dark Mark tattoo. Lucius raised one of his eyebrows, as if to dare her to summon the Dark Lord. Grinding her uneven teeth with either hate or delight, Bellatrix clinched her hands and gave an intimidating frown to Lucius. She lowered her sleeve and turned her face away from him to an empty portrait.

This conversation was nonsense, Lucius thought. It was one of the reasons he detested joining the actual raid; having to confront Bellatrix's superiority complex. He found that there was nothing to be discussed. Without any exchange of words, he closed the door with a loud bang.

Alone in the room, Bellatrix was still confused by her Lord's decision to AVOID killing any members of the Longbottom family. Was her Lord getting too soft? Blood traitors were nothing but scams. They openly welcomed some filthy Mudbloods and in the Wizarding Society, they may as well have had dirty blood themselves.

Bellatrix stood and growled as she disapparated with a crack. She reappeared inside of a dimly corridor, seeing a house-elf with bone-white skin come out from the dust. She glared at him as he welcomed her, and, annoyed, she forcefully pushed him and caused him to lose his balance and fall. She smirked and mocked the elf for his clumsiness.

The house-elf did not give any negative reaction to the actions of his mistress. He quickly stood up and waited for his mistress's orders. She commanded him to get out of her sight. He bowed and vanished into thin air.

Bellatrix walked up the staircase and stopped and a huge door marked 'Drawing Room'. She turned the doorknob and saw a huge, old, and faded family tapestry. Her eyes stared at the burned mark with 'Alphard Black' written below.

Her good-for-nothing stupid uncle gave some of his money for that treacherous Sirius. Anyone who supported a traitor, she knew, would also be considered a traitor. Bellatrix heard the door creak and turned to face a tall, dark man. "Oh, my favorite cousin, Regulus, what is it?" she questioned.

* * *

><p>The night was clear and starless, with only an enormous, scary, yellowish full moon. This moon shone over the horizon as it was seen through the windows of Hogwarts castle. Behind said windows, there was a dark room filled with portraits. Suddenly, the door opened and several strange, tiny fire orbs appeared and floated around the room, giving enough light to show two men enter the room.<p>

One of the two men was Albus Dumbledore, who chose to sit at a chair near the windows. He rested his arms beside a tray of lemon drops on the table while the other man took the chair near the door. His blue eyes were restrained and troubled. He gazed over at a man with short black hair who was only wearing red pajamas. The man's tired hazel eyes were seen through his pair of rounded spectacles.

"Professor Dumbledore, why did you call in the middle of the night? I should be with my family sleeping by this time," The man huskily demanded.

"I apologize for such a disturbance, Mr. James. How is Harry by the way?" Albus questioned him.

Hearing Harry's names, the man named James had forgotten his irritations and he proudly replied, "My son looks like me without a pair of eyeglasses. His eyes are as elegant as emerald gems, just like Lily's, and though he's rather fragile I'm sure when he grows up he'll be a strong and athletic boy. In fact, he'll even join the Quidditch team and be a Chaser just like me! I can't wait to see him how he walks, talks, and flies!"

James was very blissful about his son's planned future. His smile had stopped as he glanced over Albus's blank expression. The old man was not even contented with his answers.

"Professor, is something wrong?" James asked. Again, Albus did not answer. James waited the old man to say something but only silence reigned in the room.

A few minutes later…

"James, I'm sorry to say that our enemy, Voldemort, is going to attack your family. He has ordered all of his Death Eaters to find you and your family. Your son is his primary target," Albus sighed as he sadly looked at James.

"You got to be kidding me Professor," James said, his skin turning pale and acquiring goosebumps. When Albus remained silent, James did not need to be a Legilimen to know that Albus wasn't cracking a joke. Laughing angrily, he suddenly shouted to Albus, "Why did my family get involved!"

"I don't know, but I'm sure this is in regards to the prophesy," Albus said quietly, his blue eyes locked in an intense stare with the angry hazel eyes of James.

"Prophesy, what the bloody hell is that!" James was enraged.

Standing next to his seat, James angrily dropped his two hands on the table with a loud bang. Some of the lemon drops moved from the tray while some of the awakened portraits told him to be quiet. However, neither the slight ache in his hands nor the words of the portraits could stop him from ranting about the stupid prophesy. He just wanted to be with his family right now.

But this prophesy woke him at the middle of the night, just to know that his son, Harry, was the main target of Voldemort. Sure, this Voldemort who came out from nowhere had declared war against Albus Dumbledore and Muggles for blood purity and supremacy, but Harry had nothing to do with any of that! It was ridiculous! Harry was only a baby, without any knowledge of the war, and now he was this insane man's target. This Voldemort, James concluded, needed a visit to St. Mungo's Hospital. And what was this prophesy? Was it not man who dictated his own fate, not some old rubbish wives' tale?

"A prophesy can neither be broken nor stopped. It is destiny. The only way to interrupt the prophesy is to delay it until it is already void," Albus explained to James why he needed to believe in the prophesy.

It was quite odd. The phrase of neither be broken nor stopped was repeating like a haunting melody inside of James' mind. He was in caught in between reality and make believe. There's nothing wrong to believe, as his mind told him. Better to believe in something than nothing at all. He couldn't even think straight. His super ego was deteriorating, his hope going along with it.

"How will I protect my family? Professor, please help me," James shed tears. He only hoped for Albus's solutions for his family's safety. Harry had just been born last month. Would he be able to see his son grow up? What would Lily say? Oh Merlin! Lily!

"I know you are thinking about Lily's reactions. She's a smart girl. She will accept this. I promise you that I will provide you a protection charm while you will need to entrust a secret keeper to guard you and your family. If you don't mind, I'll be your Secret Keeper." Albus gave a hope of survival.

James regained his hope, but he kept on thinking of the possibilities.

Why did Professor Albus volunteer to be a Secret Keeper? True, he wanted to meet face to face with Voldemort, but he did actually believe that Harry was really his target? If so, accepting Professor Albus as his secret keeper, what would happen to Hogwarts? How would his friends react if they knew that he had chosen Albus rather than them?

There were several risky results.

And besides, it was still the best thing to choose his trusted friends rather than a stranger. Not that Albus was stranger. He had already proven himself worthy to be a Secret Keeper. He had defeated the last Dark Lord like no any wizards and witches could ever imagine. James, however, would stick to his friends through and through. His friends had already formed a bond with him like real brothers especially…

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><p>"Sirius Black."<p>

A tall man with wavy black hair named Sirius Black, who answered the door, looked at James Potter, who weakly entered the Potter Manor. James did not usually call him by first name. Something was off. First of all, why did Albus call only James in the middle of the night? And now, James just arrived from home and he was extremely exhausted. He did not ask his best friend about it but unusually, he had heard James telling him to be a secret keeper.

A secret keeper?

Why did he need a secret keeper? To hide something or from someone else? What was James thinking? Sirius thoughts were interrupted when James told him to sleep. A bit worried for his friend, Sirius looked at James who was climbing up the staircase like a drunken man. Hearing the door closing, Sirius returned to his own room.

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><p>James leaned his back quickly against the door. He saw a ginger haired woman lying under the white bed sheets. Lily, his wife, whom he dearly loved, was asleep on their bed. Quietly walking towards his wife, James gently sat on the bed. The slight movement of the bed made his wife mutter.<p>

Slightly, Lily opened her green eyes, seeing blurry images of a person—a man, her husband's hazel eyes, James just arrived home. Looking to James's tired hazel eyes, she greeted him with a smile. Her lips formed inaudible phrase of welcome. Either from attraction or fear, James's heart started to beat rapidly. He kissed Lily's soft lips and then he hugged her.

A soft cry was clearly heard.

It was not from her baby boy, Harry, but it was coming from James. Tightly hugging and patting her husband's back, Lily asked him what happened. James whispered that it was about Harry and retold what had happened at the meeting. She was stunned as she stopped herself from embracing James, and, lowering her head, she felt her hands were wet from her own tears. Consequently, James hated seeing his wife crying. He did not want any sadness, especially not his dear Lily's.

Nothing could stop Lily's feet from their quest towards Harry's room. Her mother's instinct kicked in as she worried about her baby, wanting to see him away from any harm. James was concerned about Lily as he followed behind. She stopped and whispered "Quietus" to the door causing the door to not creak as she and her husband entered Harry's room.

The room was decorated with blue wallpapers and stuffed toys on the sturdy trunk. At the middle of the room was a crib, towards which Lily and James walked. A bundle of thin, light blue cloth was wrapped tightly around the little baby. She picked him up, softly humming him a lullaby. She did not leave Harry's side since then.

Within his mother's embrace, an innocent baby named Harry was still sleeping peacefully without knowing that Fate had already dealt him a cruel hand.

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><p>Today was the thirty-first of July 1981. One year had passed since Tom instructed Severus to tell Albus to protect the two families, and this day was also Harry's first birthday party, which Tom wanted to attend to meet Harry. But now was not the right time. Only three months more, however, and finally he would be able to hold his precious Harry in his arms.<p>

Tom's daydream was interrupted when he saw a pile of documents on his table. He was having second thoughts about why he took this job. Yes, he wanted power, but it was taking him too long. He started to read and sign the documents when he saw a piece of a newspaper was under the documents. Pointing and casting an 'Accio' spell to it, the newspaper moved itself quickly without collapsing the documents on top. It flew over to his free hand and his red eyes skimmed the headline.

**ATTACK AT HOGMEADE!**

**ANOTHER OF GRINDELWARD'S SPAWN!**

It was an old Daily Prophet's newspaper, which was left by Dumbledore in his office last year. Tom would not forget the people's screams and the burning buildings over the Hogmeade. It had been a perfect, cold, and dark night to create a blazing fire over the place.

The old coot did visit him. He did ask him several questions from his sudden change of appearance to his ability to see the future. He also asked him if he informed someone about his seer's ability. Knowing that man liked to read minds, Tom prepared himself as he emptied his thoughts. He said to him that the only one who knew about his ability was Dumbledore himself.

Dumbledore was really a fool. Tom's red eyes reflected the fire from the newspaper article. The article suddenly burned and turned into ashes on top of his desk.

* * *

><p>A homemade caramel cake with a written phrase of <em><span>'Happy First Birthday, Harry, my son! Love Mom and Dad'<span>_ with a paw print, a full circle, and a slice of cheese below it was laid on the table. A slender right hand placed a green candle in the middle of the cake, and, contented, Lily smiled at the homemade cake. She called out for James, but he did not come, so she removed her floral apron and placed it over the chair's frame. She went to the living room as a union of childish sounds was made, and there she saw four grown men taking care of a single baby. Lily chucked at them.

James, who was happy to see his wife, stood and walked to her. His son Harry's green eyes looked to him. He murmured Papa and bounced over to his father. On the other hand, his ungrateful best friends, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, were teasing him. James was threatening them not to make fun of him as he heard his wife's soft laughter.

Blushing, James gently handed Harry to his wife. James went to the center table filled with gifts, and, taking a long shaped gift, James looked at the tag written: _Padfoot_.

Smiling evilly, James looked at Sirius as he let himself tear the wrapper for Harry. While Harry looked curiously at the source of the noise, James held up the broomstick to his son. He glanced and smiled at Sirius, however Sirius just seriously stared at him.

After Harry's party, Remus and Peter bid farewell to James, Lily carrying Harry, and Sirius. The two men had already left the vicinity of Potter's Manor. James let Lily entered the manor while Sirius looked over the sunset.

The sun was like a hellish fire ball sinking over the clouds. The sun's own reddish rays scattered around the sky. It was very scary yet peaceful to look at.

James called out for him as he looked over James and entered the manor. Locking the main door, Sirius asked James and Lily to have a serious talk. The couple sat together on their couch while Sirius took his seat on a couch adjacent to them. James started the conversation.

"What's wrong, Padfoot? You were spacing out very often today."

"I am abandoning my duties as a secret keeper. I just can't find it in myself to be locked up here knowing Voldemort will eventually find us, since one of his followers is my cousin, Bellatrix Black. James, I know Remus still thinks that I cannot be fully trusted because I'm a Black and bad blood is still running through my veins," Sirius's gray eyes looked over James's worried hazel eyes.

"Are you willing to give up this duty?" Asked Lily was carrying Harry as the toddler's fingers tangled her reddish hair.

"I'm not giving up, but I'm doing this for your safety. Pick Peter Pettigrew, I doubt that Voldemort will pick you as his main target since your secret keeper will be a scrawny guy like him," Sirius felt cold and anxious when he mentioned to select Peter instead of him. He did not know why, but he was convinced that this was the right decision.

Alas, everything went wrong.

* * *

><p>Voldemort felt everything was fast approaching. It was already the thirty-first of October 1981, and the time had finally arrived to visit his precious Harry. Now, however, he was waiting for that vermin Wormtail to come. Every time he was having a meeting with Pettigrew his blood boiled with anger. Perhaps this was the side effects from taking part in his dream as Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, and the Vanquisher of the Dark Lord. Too many titles for a mere child to hold.<p>

Voldemort's thoughts were disturbed by the squeaking of a rat on the floor. The rat stopped before him and suddenly became a fat male human with light brown hair who bowed his head respectfully towards him.

"My Lord, the time has come to infiltrate the Potter's Manor," A nervous voice echoed in the room.

"Well then, lead the way Wormtail!" Voldemort gleefully replied. This was the moment that he had been waiting for, Voldemort thought. Touching his locket, he sent a signal to the Death Eaters.

Lucius Malfoy was in the Ministry when he received a stinging feeling on his Dark Mark. He walked fast out of the building and he disapparated to his Manor. At the same time, Bellatrix was inside of the Drawing Room with her Aunt Walburga, who was chatting to the elf. She felt a stinging on her Dark Mark. She wickedly smiled at no one as she disapparated out of the place.

Both Lucius and Bellatrix uncomfortably met each other at the manor. "It's time to meet itsy bitsy Neville!" She was making childish sounds over the corridors of the manor. Lucius massaged his aching forehead.

* * *

><p>Disapparating out of Malfoy's Manor, Voldemort and Pettigrew landed on a grassy environment. It was a pitch black evening because the moon and the stars were covered by the clouds. Voldemort surveyed the grassy area while Pettigrew moved forward and then he stopped. Touching the invisible barrier, Peter let his master enter first.<p>

Voldemort had witnessed what Godric's Hallow looked like. It was rather the same in his dream, except without any snow covering the streets. There were several houses joined together in a lane. He followed Peter's tracks that led him to Potter's Manor.

Peter whispered to his master that he would be the first one to come in the house. Voldemort just glared at Peter. Was this rat thinking that he was stupid enough to enter a Fidelus charmed-manor? Feeling annoyed at Peter's idiocy, he did not dare to speak as he followed in Peter's shadow.

"Confringo!" Voldemort pointed his wand directly at the door. The door exploded and its wood particles scattered around the marble flooring. Peter smiled evilly at James who was terribly shocked at him. Voldemort was still unnoticeable from James' view.

"Peter!"

"Ah, James, just the man I have been looking for! I have someone here who wants to visit Harry! Meet my Master, Lord Voldemort!" On cue, Voldemort stepped out of the shadows. James was shocked enough to point his wand at Peter instead of at Voldemort.

"Why! Did you-" James' hand was shaking from either anger or fear.

"—betray us? No, I have only given my loyalties to my Master, not the Order! As a matter-of-fact, I'm a perfect spy! Master, please kill him," Peter was pleased to let James to be killed by his master.

James was confused and unable to think properly. Peter had betrayed them. He had trusted this man, but in the end, he was a traitor all along; nothing more than a slimy pest in their Order. That's right! Peter's Animagus was considered a pest, a dirty rat! If Sirius had not backed out of being a secret keeper, this wouldn't have happened!

Oh bloody hell, James's thought. He had forgotten that Voldemort was inside of his Manor. He was about to switch his target and point his wand at Voldemort, but alas, Voldemort has already pointed his yew wand to him and strange red beam flashed into his sight before everything faded to black.

Peter was also shocked that his master did not use any curse to Potter. The Dark Lord was not merciful to any blood traitors, let alone a supporter of Albus Dumbledore. He was about to ask why his master used a stunning spell but the wand flicked towards him, "Stupefy."

Peter was hit with a mere stunning spell and he fell to the ground. Voldemort kicked Peter's waistline to confirm that he was already knocked out. At last, no more irritating followers to disturb him. He went up the stairs and every step caused his heart to beat a little bit faster than normal.

Voldemort saw few portraits and then his red eyes stopped on a familiar figure. Charlus Potter had a goofy smile, just like the other messy black haired boy in a garden. The portrait didn't move at all, as it was created without magic.

Voldemort moved on to a door that he knew Lily and his Harry were behind. Peeking passed the crack in the slightly opened door, his bloody red eyes met a pair of brilliant, almond-shaped green eyes. Those green eyes belonged to Lily, Harry's mother. He turned the door knob, and that time, he saw a different perspective compared to his dream. Voldemort was neither a defenseless baby nor a savior of the light since he was now Harry's haunting murderer.

Voldemort smirked. Pointing his wand to Lily, he told her to step aside, but still, she refused to follow his commands. She used herself as a human shield to her son, assuming that her husband had already been killed by this merciless madman. She would rather die with honor than to accept defeat at the cost of her son's life. She was a Gryffindor after all. How she wished she could see him grow into a young man.

"Harry, Mama loves you…" Lily whispered, and then, she saw Voldemort's bloody eyes turn to blue for a mere moment. She was expecting a green light to hit her but only a red ray blocked her eyes to total darkness. Lily was knocked out as she fell on the soft play-mat.

Walking slowly toward the crib, Voldemort's heartbeat had begun to increase even more. He stopped momentarily beside the crib, and knowing that Harry might be scared by his appearance he uplifted his glamour charm and once again became Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Tom moved foward to the crib and stared at Harry for the first time. Harry's hands were still holding the wooden crib as he watched the terrible scene. Tom softly whispered Harry's name as the one year old child looked over to his dark blue eyes with his own watery green ones.

Surprisingly, Harry's arms widened as if he wanted to be carried. Picking up Harry in his arms, Tom felt his heartbeat rising to his ears. He heard Harry's voice calling for his mama, who was lying over the play-mat. The child pointed his index finger to his mama and then he sucked his whole fist into his mouth.

Tom was surprised at Harry. It was unexpected to see Harry was like this. What was more, if his parents were dead, Harry was just an innocent baby without knowing anything in the world. Harry's only world was his mother and father's love and care. Tom's other self had selfishly taken them from Harry.

Tom shook his head. Supporting Harry on his left arm, he drew his wand and twirled it over Harry's forehead. He began his incantation.

"Thy soul shall I inherit…"

His wand started a beam of silver light over Harry's forehead, from which a similar ghostly substance was flowing. Harry cried. Tom hushed Harry by rubbing gently from his neck to little Harry's messy black hair. The child stopped crying as he rested his head on Tom's left shoulder.

The ghostly substance moved slowly as it slipped into his head. A pure and innocent soul entered into his own dark one. Tom still continued his incantation, "And a soul of mine shall I present into you…" He felt ghastly inside of him as he released soul. His soul floated and flew over Harry's forehead

"On thy eighteenth day, our shared souls shall be fully entwined."

Tom felt Harry's soul was mingling within his own fragile soul, a small fragment of innocence suddenly becoming part of him. Feeling slightly warm and cozy, Tom glanced over Harry's forehead. A remarkable lighting mark just like his dreams formed. Now the ritual was completed, and no one would ever dare to break them apart.

Harry was asleep on his shoulder. For the first time, Tom gave a small yet lively smile just for his Harry to see. Even though Harry's head was making his left shoulder a bit sore, Tom did not care at all. At that moment, He had finally held his precious Harry just like his Hocrux diary. So much, he wanted to hold Harry more, but he had things to do, so he slowly tucked Harry back into his crib.

Tom looked over Lily's unconscious body and he sighed. Raising his yew wand, he performed a levitation spell on her and slowly floated her down the staircase and placed her on the couch. Harry's father, James, was lying on the carpet. Again, Tom performed a levitation spell and moved him over to the other couch. Casting 'Accio' on Harry's parents' wands, Tom suddenly held a mahogany, 11 inch wand and a willow, 10 ¼ inch wand.

Tom redid his glamour charm on himself, becoming Voldemort once again. He swung his wand to Harry's parents and said, "Rennervate."

James and Lily stirred from the stun spell. Their hearts stopped as soon as they saw the madman in front of them. From the sadness on their face, it seemed they thought they knew only one thing—Harry is already dead. James clenched his hands and glared at Voldemort's bloody eyes.

A child murderer!

"You ever wonder why both of you are still alive?" Voldemort just smirked at them.

"We're not going to bow down to you! Murderer!" James answered him as Lily whispered to him to stop shouting.

"Lily, he killed our son!" James continued to shout in response.

"James, James, James, James, have you ever wonder why Dumbledore wants to be your secret keeper?" Voldemort was laughing at him.

"Stop reading my thoughts!" James was already angry at him, and if he had his wand with him he would have killed him and been jailed in Azkaban instead of going through this humiliation.

"Really now... ah young Lily, you're quite troubled, aren't you my dear? Don't you worry, Harry's still sleeping. You want to see him right?"

"Don't you dare come near my wife!" James screeched in warning, his hazel eyes glare directed at Voldemort's red eyes.

"What do you want?" Lily bravely answered him as her brilliant green eyes stared at him.

"If this Dumbledore is really powerful, he would be already here. Both you should think, and I'm not here to convince you to join me. Oh well, you two should check on Harry. He is going to awake soon," Voldemort said, before he vanished with a loud crack.

Lily ran upstairs to check on Harry while James saw his so-called friend lying on the ground. Lily opened the door to Harry's room, her eyes closed tightly. She could not bear to see if her son was dead. When she heard a familiar cry, she forcefully opened her eyes and saw that her son was alive. Lily cried not from sorrow but from relief, as Voldemort's claim had been true.

They survived because of Voldemort's unexplainable mercy. Lily, in her relief, did not notice Harry's forehead, which was engraved with a lightning bolt. This mark would eventually change young Harry's life forever.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Hi! Sorry to keep you all waiting. I hope you'll like this update. This is the last update for this August. No September Update. TO BE POSTPONED...


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